The Evolution and Symbolism of Earrings in Chinese History

In 2023, a pair of gold earrings from the Shang and Zhou dynasties were unearthed at the Jinsha Site in Chengdu, reaffirming China as one of the earliest civilizations to adorn ears. From Neolithic jade jue to the pearl earrings of the Qing imperial court, earrings were not merely ornaments but vessels of power, faith, and aesthetics. The history of earrings reflects half of China’s material civilization.

 Formal Evolution: A Technological Revolution from Jue to Pendants

1. Prehistoric Jade Jue (c. 8000 Years Ago)

   • C-shaped jade jue from the Xinglongwa site in Inner Mongolia, crafted using "cord-cutting techniques," signified tribal identity.

   • Hongshan culture’s pig-dragon jue embodied primal animal worship, requiring ear piercings—a testament to ritualistic body modification.

2. 

   Metal Ear Ornaments in Shang and Zhou (1600–256 BCE)

   • Gold wire and turquoise earrings from the Tomb of Fu Hao in Anyang corroborate The Book of Songs: "Gem-adorned ears gleam," marking aristocratic status.

   • Warring States period ear dang featured hollow designs for holding incense, merging utility with ceremony.

3. 

   Tang-Song Globalization (618–1279 CE)

   • Tang-era Persian-inspired granular-gold dang earrings, like the gem-inlaid pair from the Hejia Village Hoard, fused Hellenistic motifs.

   • The Peddler (Song painting) depicts commoners wearing silver studs, reflecting commercialized accessibility.

4. Ming-Qing Zenith (1368–1912 CE)

   • Manchu women’s "three-earrings-per-ear" tradition peaked; Qing court pearl pendants weighed 10g each, symbolizing "four-season blessings."

   • Suzhou artisans created dian cui (kingfisher-feather) earrings in "sky-after-rain" hues—a lost technique today.

Cultural Symbolism: Semiotics of Earrings

1. Power Narratives

   • Han officials wore er dang at court; Book of the Later Han terms attendants "ear-brush ministers."

   • Qing empresses’ pearl counts followed Collected Statutes rank protocols.

2. Life Rituals

   • Jiangnan "ear-piercing rites" marked female coming-of-age; folk sayings linked it to fortune.

   • Miao silver earrings (up to 250g) in adulthood ceremonies embodied "life’s burdens."

3. Religious Metaphors

   • Buddhist dang denoted "purified senses," mirroring Indian Vishnu iconography in Dunhuang art.

   • Daoist "sun-moon ears" symbolized internal alchemy.

4. Taboos and Shifts

   • Song Neo-Confucians condemned piercings as "body mutilation"; Zhu Xi’s Family Rites banned elite women’s earrings.

   • Ming records listed earrings among corrupt official Yan Song’s "extravagant crimes."

Modern Revival: Translating Tradition

1. Reviving Intangible Heritage

   • Suzhou Museum’s reconstructed Ming filigree earrings blend 3D printing with ancient soldering, priced over ¥20,000.

   • Douyin’s #AncientEarringCraft hashtag hit 800M views, with Gen Z driving demand.

2. Global Cultural Output

   • At 2024’s Met Gala, "bronze taotie earrings" were hailed as "wearable museums."

   • Genshin Impact’s character Shenhe’s enamel earrings sparked global Sinology debates.

3. Tech Fusion

   • Shenzhen’s smart earrings (heart-rate monitoring/bone-conduction audio) won 2024 CES awards.

   • Lab-grown "Han eight-cut" jade replicas slash costs by 90%.

Epilogue: An Epic of Civilization on Earlobes

From Xinglongwa’s jade jue bridging heaven-earth to smart earrings linking digital worlds, China’s earring evolution mirrors civilizational exchange. As anthropologist Fei Xiaotong noted: "Objects transform as minds do." Museum displays reveal not just ancient beauty but a nation’s eternal pursuit of it.

References:

1. History of Ancient Chinese Adornments, Yang Zhishui, SDX Joint Publishing, 2019

2. Chengdu Jinsha Site 2023 Excavation Report

3. "Chinese Motifs in Global Jewelry Design," Jewelry Studies Journal, 2024