Typical chinese symbols
I'm not at home to check on my books, but I'm sure of the following.
This brass device is in the shape of a plum blossom that is the symbol for courage and hope (the plum flower is blossoming in winter, despite the cold).
The plum blossom is also a more recent symbol for the Republic of China, because of the courage and hope it means but also because of the parallel done between the five leaves of the flower and the five branches of the Republican government. Following the wishes of Sun Yat-sen, the chinese republic founder and father of the chinese nation (considered as such in Taiwan AND in China), there are 5 powers -"Yuan" : legislative, executive, judiciary, examination and control.
Klas has already identified the bat, symbol of luck.
Just on top of it, I see the deer, meaning longevity and prosperity, but when used for a soldier or an aministrative officer, it means glory.
Then we have the peach, classic symbol of longevity.
I can't identify the one on the right, right now.
But the last one, just before the bat or on the right of it, is the symbol for the gold ingot. In other word, money and fortune.
Typical chinese symbols. At least, we are sure this is a chinese sword, with some ritual or formal use, because of the symbols on it. May be, dating from the first years of the Republic of China, at the time of the warlords. May be before, if the plum blossom symbol has no link with the Republic.
Yuanzhumin
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