Hushenfu and Changmingsuo

China’s lucky charms are collectively known as hushenfu—literally, symbols protecting the body. These divinity amulets are believed to invoke or expel spirits, and bring good fortune. One of the earliest examples look the form of magic figures drawn by Taoist priests for their new disciples, who were required to wear the amulet all the times. In the eyes of ordinary folks, a Taoist priest with the white beard and a horsetail whisk in his hand was a messenger sent to expel evil spirits. Some would follow his “way” and wear amulets.

Chinese culture has spun different brands of hushenfu right up to the present day. One old custom that survives in areas of the countryside is for newborn infants to wear Longevity China (Changming Suo). Tiger Shoes, special belts, mirrors, and bow and arrow were lucky charms for marriage.

Tiger Power
Hupo(琥珀), or amber, was traditionally believed to be the gift of creation millions of years ago, and was said to form underground from the soul of a dead tiger (based on the homophonic Hupo, for tiger’s soul). For that reason, it became a saintly amulet made popular by Buddhism, and can be worn on a necklace, around the wrist, or pinned to one’s belt.

Perfect Wedding Gift: Old Shoes
Giving new couples the gift of traditional shoes comes with the wish of a harmonious life attached: The Chinese pronunciation for shoes (xie 鞋) is homophonic for the character meaning harmony (xie偕). One Chinese idiom uses the word to express sticking together till the hair goes gray as in baitou xielao (白头偕老). Antique markets and stores usually carry are old pairs from traditional times, including the three-inch women’s shoes worn on bound, “lotus feet” in “feudal” times, It is customary to give men’s and women’s shoes. They’re great bric-a-brac for atop the mantle.

As You Like It
Ruyi, literally meaning “as you wish,” might be the oldest Chinese token. The decorative objects are displayed in the home and usually made of wood or bone, though the earliest Ruyi were made of jade to symbolize the virtues of faithfulness and perseverance. Old couples used to give each other Ruyi to express their love. For the imperial family, a Ruyi of gold and gems stood for authority, status and wealth.

Oldies But Goodies
Some ancient images have never faded, and a just about any decorative accessory can draw on their feel-good forces. The dragon, phoenix, turtle, and Kylin (Chinese unicorn) are together called four sprites. The crane, cat, and butterfly symbolize longevity. Magpie and plum blossom together signify good fortune, while goldfish and flowering crabapple combine to represent prosperity. The easiest route to salvation is via Chinese characters for longevity (shou寿), fortune (fu福), king (wang王), turtle (gui龟), and Buddha (fo佛).

Modern Charms
Need a more modern fix to feel secure? If you’re looking for token kitsch on the streets, you’re libel to find plastic cell phone covers, poker cards, and even condoms with auspicious symbols. The Phillips 126, 138 and 168 models, while a bit outdated, all have a fortune telling function. Just input your birthday and any date you want to test out, and a magical formula tell you your energy index and your chances of finding love and riches on that day.

Whether the Chinese lucky charms work or not is to some extent up to you, according to traditional beliefs. Xin Ze Ling (信则灵), as the saying goes: if you don’t believe, there ain’t no magic.