What are the names of the ancient locks?

Several types of ancient Chinese locks The types of ancient Chinese locks are roughly divided into two categories: reed-constructed locks and text-combination locks. The reed construction locks can be divided into four kinds of wide locks, flag locks, locks and jewelry locks, mostly horizontal locks, used for doors, cabinets, boxes. Broad locks: produced in Shaoxing during the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, commonly known as "Shao locks", also known as "cross-open locks", "spring locks" or "pillow locks". Most of them are made of copper, with a concave shape on the front and a combination of triangle and rectangle on the end. Before the Ming Dynasty, most of the locks were made of copper, with a long cylindrical end. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, most of the locks were made of copper, with the upper part of the end face in the shape of a triangle and the lower part in the shape of a rhomboid. After the Qing dynasty, the material is mostly brass, there are Yunnan copper and iron, the upper part of the end with the same period of the Ming and Qing dynasties, the lower part of the square. Iron locks attacked with the Ming Dynasty before the lock style, the end of the long cylindrical, with three hoops, five hoops, car light and other types. Hoop is in the cylindrical lock body plus openwork patterned iron hoop, increase the beauty and strength. The surface of the lock body is nickel-plated or copper-plated to make it look bright and clean. Flower Flag Lock: "Flower" means pattern and "Flag" means representation. "Flower Flag locks are a traditional national custom, generally made of gold, silver, copper and iron, with copper being the most common. Mostly used for cabinets, boxes, drawers, etc., beautiful shape, blessing meaning. Jewelry locks: decorative metal locks, mostly made of gold and silver materials. Strung with a chain, hanging on the neck, with Ruyi, chicken heart, treasure, flowers and animals and other shapes. The surface of the lock is engraved with delicate bird and flower patterns, as well as blessings, fortune, longevity, happiness, longevity, such as auspicious words. Penalty locks: also known as personal locks, iron locks used to lock chains, wooden shackles. Text combination lock: horizontal cylinder shape, arranged in the center of the axis of the same size of the wheel, the wheel surface etched with the same number of words, connected to the cylinder at both ends are two upright columns, columns connected to a lock beam. When all the words on the wheel to a certain position, and the words form a specific string, the lock can be opened, the use of the key is not required. The number of rotors of the text combination lock is mostly three to seven, several rotors are called several rings (combination) lock.

The earliest locks are wooden, the construction is extremely simple, not anti-theft, just as a symbolic lock. China's metal locks invented in the Han Dynasty, for the reed knot lock. Song Dynasty mostly iron locks, to the Ming and Qing Dynasties, copper locks become a household necessity. As a kind of daily necessities, different materials, different crafts of the ancient locks recorded the development level of social productivity in different periods, some special shape, special pattern of the locks also recorded the folk customs, from this point of view, the ancient locks are very historical research value. Artistic value. Love of beauty is human nature, historically, China's ancient craftsmen in the production of artifacts, will not forget the practical basis of the elements of art into it.

Cow locks, turtle locks, crab locks, frog locks, pipa locks ...... introduce a certain shape into the design of locks, so that it increases the practicality of the cultural connotation of the outside, and the scale is appropriate, structurally sound, vivid modeling, decorative opulence, all contain the aesthetic mood. In addition to modeling, many locks also use a flat carving, carving, hollow carving, burin, gilt, gold, gold, gold, gold plating, inlay and other crafts. The exquisite craftsmanship and beautiful modeling make the lock itself a work of art.

Ancient locks are divided into wooden locks, gold locks, silver locks, jade locks, copper locks, iron locks, stone locks, cloisonné locks and so on. The more valuable the material, the higher the value of the lock. So the value of gold locks, silver locks, jade locks is higher than copper locks, iron locks, wooden locks.