Red Sandalwood Chopsticks Inset with Gold and Jade
This pair of Red Sandalwood Chopsticks Inset with Gold and Jade features exquisite craftsmanship and gorgeous thread-shaped patterns formed by inlaid gold and silver wires. The gold and jade insets on the chopsticks are plain, without any decorative patterns. The jade lotus bud-shaped top showcases both the gorgeousness of gold and the elegance of jade.
Chopsticks are used to pick up food. Since ancient times, a variety of materials have been used to make chopsticks. Historical records show that ivory chopsticks had emerged in the late Shang Dynasty. Materials such as copper, bamboo, gold, and jade were used after the Han Dynasty.
In the Ming Dynasty, saying "zhu" (meaning "stop") was taboo among boatmen in Wuxian, today's Jiangsu Province. Because chopsticks were also called "zhu" in Chinese, locals began to call them "kuai" (meaning "fast") to pray for smooth sailing.
During the Qing Dynasty, chopsticks were used to symbolize blessings at weddings. When the emperor and empress were married, two pairs of chopsticks tied together with red threads would be placed in their wedding room, and they used the chopsticks to eat dumplings and noodles together, a practice conveying good wishes of conjugal felicity, plentiful offspring, health, and longevity.
This pair of chopsticks, featuring precious materials and exquisite craftsmanship, testifies not only to the craftsman's ingenuity, but also to the inheritance and development of Chinese culture.
紫檀镶金嵌玉箸
紫檀镶金嵌玉箸由紫檀与金、玉搭配制成。紫檀做工极其精致，以金、银丝嵌入，勾勒出奢华的线状花纹。箸身镶嵌金、玉，均为素面不作雕琢，箸端镶嵌莲苞式玉顶，既显金之富丽华美，又有玉之温润典雅。
箸专门用于夹取食物，自古以来，材质各有不同。据记载，商代晚期已有象牙箸。两汉以后，铜、竹、金、玉等均可用于制箸。明代，江苏吴县船家外出时忌讳说“住”，因“箸”和“住”同音，便把“箸”称为“快儿”，意为保佑航船快速到达。随时间推移，“快儿”逐渐被“筷子”取代。清代，箸是新婚庆典的吉祥之物。帝后大婚设合卺宴，婚房内备有两双由红线系在一起的箸，帝后以此共食子孙饽饽（饺子）、长寿面，表达夫妇同心、子孙满堂、健康长寿等美好寓意。
小小一副箸，用材珍贵、工艺精致，既是别出心裁、独具匠心的体现，又是中华文化发展传承的见证。
