中国古代戒指考略

考古证明戒指早在原始社会就已出现。“戒指”的称法至早在明代才出现，另有指环、约指、代指、手记、驱环等不同称法。古代戒指可以戴在手指上，也可系在衣带上。戒指的制作材料有青铜、骨、金、银、铜、金刚石、白玉、琥珀、宝石、翡翠、水晶等。戒指可作为财物、礼物，也可作为男女定情信物，有回还、归家之意，也有约束、节制之意。

On the Evolution of Ring in Ancient China

Archaeological proofs indicate convincingly that ring had already appeared as early as in primitive society, however, the appellation ＂Rings＂ did not appeared until the Ming Dynasty, has a series of different names in Chinese, such as Zhihuan, Yuezhi, Daizhi, Shouji, Quhuan and so on. In ancient time, rings can be worn on the finger and/or decorate clothes. The various material for rings includes bronze, animal bones, gold, silver, copper, diamond, white jade, amber, emerald, crystal stone and so on. Rings play a significant role in social life, function as gifts, property, and a token of lover, the symbol of return and reunion on the one hand and serf-discipline and moderation on the other hand.