CEBU, Philippines – To the observant, curious eyes of a tourist or citizen in a global rural or urban setting, often one notices lucky-charm Chinese coins hanged by the doorknob or displayed behind Chinese New Year celebration stages.
These items have sublime and subtle cultural feng shui benefits. Chinese coins symbolize the coming of good luck! No wonder they are found on the mouth of the so-called Money Frog lucky charm atop the cashier's or company president's desks in retail or commercial firms. Money incarnated in coins in a store and medium of value exchange is indeed the currency of material luck in any economy.
But do you know the secret symbol of the ancient Chinese coin with its round shape for heaven and its square hole for earth (like a plot of a rice field)? More than that, the circular shape symbolizes a drop of water which in feng shui signifies money and its generous management along the value chain in life, especially in business.
The square or earth symbol signifies solid and sound total management of the land, as in the tilling and management of a plot of land or rice field. So, in plain talk, an old Chinese coin symbolizes heaven on earth. In business, generous and solid management of all stakeholders. No wonder it is widely used as a feng shui remedy or charm for ages. They are used as attraction or protection charms as well as enhancers of wealth and prosperity.
Popular are old Chinese coins thread in a ribbon in varied combinations:
3 coins strung together means prosperity forever.
5 strung together means balanced prosperity.
6 means the road to prosperity.
8 means double prosperity.
9 means doubling prosperity.
Coins that have special designs like a bat mean good luck is right in front of you. Chinese New Year coins with inscriptions of money displayed to welcome New Year means that money comes in easy for the year.
Bridal coins are inscribed with well wish of good health, long life, wealth, honor and 'may you grow old together in harmony'!
So there, who says money like a Chinese coin cannot buy everything? Yes, they can symbolize everything if used in feng shui as food for the soul.