The Many Faces of Cantonese Family Locks

August 1 – November 20, 2009

Amidst the finery of traditional China, it is easy to neglect the little masterpieces that keep the other treasures safe. From Chinese character combination locks to animal-shaped padlocks, these antique brass pieces are works of art in themselves. This collection from the Qing Dynasty 清朝 (1638-1911 CE) exhibits the splitting-spring mechanism used in China from the Han Dynasty 漢朝 (206 BCE -220 CE) until Western pin and tumbler locks mostly replaced them in the 1940s.

Zou Yongsheng 鄒永生, the antique aficionado who graciously loaned these locks, has numerous collections on display at the Guxiangli 故鄉里 “Hometown Village” Museum in Guangzhou 廣州. Built in traditional style with antique materials, the museum is dedicated to preserving the culture of Mr. Zuo’s native Lingnan 嶺南 village, located on the Pearl River Delta where many of California’s early Chinese immigrants originated. We are also grateful to Sean Liang 梁國雄 who generously helped transport these items from China.