Shou Lao, the Daoist god of Longevity, is portrayed at the top of this 'pending' (buckle) with his deer and crane. It is not uncommon for the accessories of the Peranakan Chinese to depict Chinese symbolism. Peranakan Chinese pending come in a variety of shapes and styles. For instance, unlike this ogival or eye-shaped pending, Aceh-style pending tended to be quatrefoil.
