Jin San Shi 金三事, Ming Dynasty Sanitary Wares

During the Ming dynasty, the categories and styles of gold and silver ornaments underwent greater innovation and development based on the Song and Yuan dynasties, showing different visual aesthetic experiences and artistic styles.

Among the various types of gold and silver in Ming dynasty ornaments, “Jin San Shi” is one example.

Different from other ornaments, “Jin San Shi” is a daily sanitary ware, used for repairing and cleaning.

The so-called “Jin San Shi (金三事 ; jīn sān shì)” are three kinds of sanitary equipment used by ancient people, the basic components of which are toothpicks, earpicks, and tweezers.

• Toothpicks were used to remove tartar, much like today’s toothpicks.
• An earpick is used to clean the ears.
• Tweezers were used to remove hair, similar to the eyebrow pliers we use today.

This Jin San Shi in the form of a woman was excavated from the tomb of Wang Shiqi (王士琦) in Linhai. Inside were earpicks and toothpicks, connected by gold chains. When not in use, the gold chain can be withdrawn and objects (earpicks and toothpicks) can be hidden inside the human body.

The overall appearance is a thin cylinder, with gold ear picks and toothpicks inside, connected by a gold chain. The chain passes through the cylinder. When not in use, pull the gold chain and the equipment can be hidden in the cylinder. The outer wall is decorated with various patterns with a concise design and easy to carry.

In addition to their practical value, these tools are often assembled into a kind of jewelry. However, the specific number is not necessarily three, there are also four or eight, so they are collectively called “Jin Shi Jian (金事件 ; jīn shì jiàn)”.

Because these utensils are related to the human body, they have a special meaning, sometimes also used as gifts between lovers or between master and servant.

The specific name depends on the material used, those made of gold are called “Jin San Shi 金三事”, and those made of silver are called “Yin San Shi 银三事”.

To make it easier to access and carry, people in the Ming dynasty often tied Jin San Shi or similar objects to their handkerchiefs or tucked them into the sleeve of clothes, for both men and women.

In the Qing dynasty, this combination gradually became a purely decorative “彩帨 colorful silk”.

Reference:

sohu.com/a/211039482_651714
zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/162775037