Two Nephrite Nail Guards, Qing Dynasty, 19th Century | 軟玉 護甲兩隻，清十九世紀

Nail guards in China boast a rich historical lineage in the Warring States period (475-221 BCE). The primary purpose of nail guards was to safeguard long fingernails from breakage, with options to wear them individually or as a collective set. The earliest examples, excavated from Warring States tombs, were fashioned from curved gold plates. During the Qing dynasty (1644-1912 CE), noblewomen, especially the courtladies, were fascinated with cultivating lengthy fingernails, producing nail guards predominantly crafted from precious metals and jade. These decorative pieces featured sophisticated techniques such as filigree, engraving, and carving, yielding intricate and elaborate designs.

In traditional Chinese decorative art, the character for 'bat' (蝠) is homophonous with the character for 'good fortune' (福). Consequently, the image of the bat has been adopted as a symbol of happiness. Notably, the depiction of a flying bat connotes the notion of the bat entering one's home, thereby signifying the arrival of good fortune and establishing it as an auspicious motif.

中國蓄甲之風，源遠流長，護甲的作用即爲保護指甲不被折斷，可單個或成套佩戴。最早的護甲在戰國墓中出土，以金片捲曲而成。清朝貴婦都喜愛蓄長指甲，絕大多數以金、銀、玉製成，並采用鏤空、鏨花、雕刻等技藝，造型裝飾很複雜考究。

在中國傳統裝飾藝術中，蝙蝠的漢字與福同音，因此蝙蝠的形象被當作幸福的象徵。而飛翔的蝙蝠令人聯想蝙蝠飛進家中，寓意‘進福‘，是吉祥的圖案。