Liu Hai playing with the golden toad on the front and the Five Venoms on the back

This is a Chinese amulet coin used to gather wealth and drive away bad luck. The pattern of Liu Hai playing with the golden toad is carved on the front; The “Five Venoms”, namely snake, spider, centipede, gecko and toad, are carved on the back. This kind of amulet coin first appeared in the Song Dynasty and was popular in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It combines the dual themes of “attracting wealth” and “warding off evil spirits”. It is mostly made of bronze and can be worn or hung. It is used to strengthen the two beliefs of avoiding bad luck and obtaining wealth.

Liu Hai is an immortal in Taoism and is said to be a disciple of Lü Dongbin among the Eight Immortals. The golden toad, also known as the treasure-attracting golden toad, is golden all over and has only three legs. It is said that it can search for treasures. It is said that when the three-legged golden toad appeared in the world, Liu Hai lured and captured it with strings of copper coins. The golden toad holding a copper coin in its mouth represents the convergence of wealth sources; Liu Hai with bare feet and flowing hair symbolizes being carefree and breaking with conventions. It helps merchants attract wealth, safeguard the house and boost good luck, and is commonly given as a gift when a shop opens.

Snake, spider, centipede, gecko and toad (the Five Venoms). They are five ferocious creatures themselves, but where they appear, it also means that other creatures will no longer show up. The colubrid snake preys on venomous snakes and mice, the spider preys on locusts, the centipede preys on cockroaches, the gecko preys on flies, and the toad preys on mosquitoes. Although they are ferocious or ugly, on the one hand, they can eliminate completely harmful creatures, and they are also a source of traditional Chinese medicine. The interesting thing about this coin is that the “Five Venoms” are driven away by a tiger, which implies that the tiger drives away disasters. The tiger is the mount of many Chinese immortals, including Zhao Gongming, the God of Wealth who is in charge of thunder and wealth.

It represents the basic logical thinking of the balance between yin and yang and the combination of movement and stillness. The venomous creatures are artistically processed, turning bad luck into good luck. The gathering of the Five Venoms can deter evil spirits and resolve disasters. Wearing it during the Dragon Boat Festival can repel insects and prevent pestilence, echoing the customs of the solar term. On the front, there is “movement” – Liu Hai dynamically playing with the toad, activating the fortune of wealth; On the back, there is “stillness” – the Five Venoms surround statically, constructing protection.