Ren Min (任敏) in A Splendid Match (良陈美锦) wears a golden collar necklace with a Chang Ming lock (长命锁) – when was the last time a Chinese drama gave us such a classic, heartwarming look?
For years, period dramas have either skipped neck ornaments entirely or flooded the screen with bland, modern-looking pieces that feel nothing like traditional Chinese aesthetics. Then came Ren Min’s character, Gu Jinchao (顾锦朝), as a young girl in the Ming Dynasty setting of A Splendid Match. That round golden collar hugging her neck, with a tiny lock dangling below – it instantly pulled viewers back to the elegant world of Dream of the Red Chamber. Many sighed: finally, a Chinese drama remembers how a girl should look.
Not Just a Collar
What many call a “collar” actually traces back over a thousand years to the Yingluo (璎珞). The word originally meant a string of beautiful jade. Craftsmen linked gold, silver, pearls, agate, and colored glass into U-shaped or V-shaped ornaments. Early on, Yingluo served as a sacred decoration in Buddhism, symbolizing a cluster of holy light. Gradually, it left the temple and entered daily life, becoming a luxurious piece for women’s necks.
By the Ming Dynasty, paintings and statues show Yingluo evolving into the exact pendant-hanging collar style Ren Min wears. The ancient text Infinite Life Sutra makes a clear distinction: ornaments always on the neck are “Ying”; those on the body are “Luo”. There were neck Yingluo, arm Yingluo, and even foot Yingluo – each meticulously assembled from precious materials. Tang Dynasty craftsmanship reached its peak, producing shorter, more refined pieces that noblewomen competed to wear. The poet Liu Yuxi (刘禹锡) once wrote, “a girl drapes a string of piercing beads” – that was the height of Tang fashion.
From the multi-treasure gold necklace unearthed from Li Jingxun’s (李静训) Sui (隋) Dynasty tomb, we see how lavish early Yingluo had become: gold-woven chains, pearl inlays, dripping with wealth. It was a product of cultural fusion and set the aesthetic foundation for later collar-style Yingluo. The Ming Dynasty then pushed Yingluo further into everyday life, turning it into a practical collar piece often hung with Chang Ming locks, lucky plaques, or auspicious charms. Gold and silver ruled as materials, gemstones added sparkle, and every piece carried both decoration and blessing – it became the signature ornament for young ladies and children in noble households.
Locking Life and Luck
The Chang Ming lock we know today started as a simple five-colored silk cord during the Dragon Boat Festival, used to ward off evil. The Tang Dynasty took that beautiful wish and stitched it into multi-treasure Yingluo. But it was the Ming Dynasty that finally shaped it into a metal lock pendant, giving it the name “Chang Ming lock” – meaning “lock in life, lock in safety and good fortune.”
When paired with a golden collar, this lock became the warmest symbol in traditional Chinese aesthetics. Elders placed it on children and grandchildren as a silent prayer. The lock face often carries engraved phrases like “live a hundred years” or “wealth and peace.” Literature’s greatest proof comes from Dream of the Red Chamber: Xue Baochai’s (薛宝钗) golden lock and Jia Baoyu’s (贾宝玉) collar with Chang Ming lock are not just accessories – they are central to character and fate.
For a long time, Chinese period dramas either left necks bare or fell into boring sameness. Some designs were too simple and lifeless; others felt too modern, completely losing the dignity and spirit of traditional Chinese neckwear. The classic golden collar with a Chang Ming lock rarely appeared on young female characters in Ming Dynasty dramas. Many viewers felt that traditional beauty had slowly disappeared from the screen.
A Welcome Return
Ren Min’s styling in A Splendid Match wakes up that long-lost classical feeling. Her character’s rounded golden collar follows the neckline perfectly, with a small Chang Ming lock hanging beneath. It carries both a young girl’s charming innocence and a noble lady’s grace. The outfit shows restraint and elegance – the very soul of Chinese accessories – while perfectly matching the lively, refined nature of a traditional young heroine.
This is not a simple retro copy. It is a natural return of culture after settling for centuries in the long river of history. From Tang multi-treasure Yingluo to Ming collars with Chang Ming locks, and then to the classic portrayal in Dream of the Red Chamber, Chinese neck ornaments have never been mere decoration. They carry elders’ blessings, display one’s status and temperament, and serve as a medium for Eastern aesthetics. They complement both the wearer’s features and her clothing – far superior to assembly-line modern accessories.
The fact that viewers today embrace Ren Min’s look proves that the public has never forgotten native traditional beauty. The hope for future period dramas is clear: drop the trendy, mixed-up makeup and costumes. In Ming Dynasty settings, pick up Yingluo, collars, Chang Ming locks – restore the traditional forms and aesthetics. Let the understated, warm, and grand Eastern spirit return to the screen. That is the real revival of classical beauty in Chinese costume dramas.
