Brocade Pouch

The **Brocade Pouch** (锦囊, *Jǐnnáng*), also known as the **perfume sachet**, is an item that is given to Gu Mang by an unknown person during his stay in Luomei Pavilion.

## Appearance

The brocade pouch is intricately embroidered with mountains, rivers, the sun, and the moon among other natural features. A pendant made of red agate hangs from the bottom, clearly indicating its expensive price.

## History

The brocade pouch is first seen in Luomei Pavilion when Gu Mang takes it out to store the gold Cowrie Shell Mo Xi had given him. Mo Xi was angry and envious of the person who had given Gu Mang the brocade pouch and continuously wondered about their identity and what their relationship with Gu Mang was. Although he asked Gu Mang who had given him it, his efforts in uncovering them were fruitless. Gu Mang kept telling him that he had exchanged it, and that was all. Without any other information to rely on other than knowledge of brocade pouches' common usage, Mo Xi assumed that the brocade pouch was given to Gu Mang after he provided services to a client in Luomei Pavilion.

Later, Mo Xi asks Gu Mang if he thought the person who had given him the brocade pouch was important to him. He then instantly responded with a "yes." Gu Mang's swift response made Mo Xi darken in jealousy towards the person who gave him the brocade pouch.

It is later revealed that Jiang Fuli first possessed the brocade pouch, used it to contain the Reversal Stone that was previously sealed in his left eye, and then gave it to Mo Xi. After meeting the Gu Mang of the past, he searched for something to give to Gu Mang as a love token and discovers he has nothing but the brocade pouch. Mo Xi then realizes that the one who had given Gu Mang the brocade pouch, the one he had been jealous of this entire time, was himself. Gu Mang, realizing that he will soon forget Mo Xi, wanted something for them to remember each other by. Taking out the only thing he had at the time, Gu Mang takes one of his two white cowrie shells and uses his weakening spiritual energy to carve his name on it and give it to Mo Xi. He proceeds to write Mo Xi's name on the remaining cowrie shell but stops and only writes half of Mo Xi's given name, Huo (火, *huǒ*), the Kangxi radical of Mo Xi's given name, Xi (熄, *xī*).

Thus, the brocade pouch finally made its way to Gu Mang's possession as a love token signifying their relationship.

## Usage

The brocade pouch was first used by Jiang Fuli to store the Reversal Stone, which he had just taken out of his left eye. Jiang Fuli then gave the brocade pouch containing the Reversal Stone to Mo Xi.

When Mo Xi and Gu Mang meet in the past, Gu Mang stores the Cowrie Shell that he wrote half of Mo Xi's given name on in the brocade pouch, cherishing it even as his memory faded away so that he could never forget their relationship.

## In Chinese Culture

Brocade pouches, known as ***jinnang*** (锦囊, *jǐnnáng*) in Chinese, are a kind of embroidery handicraft created by working women in ancient China and are a remnant of traditional Chinese culture that has existed for a millennium. They were used in ancient times to hold poetry manuscripts and other precious items. Traditionally, people wear or use these scented sachets during the Dragon Boat Festival. They are also frequently hung during the celebration since it is believed that they ward off evil.

An alternative name for *jinnang* is ***xiangnang*** (香囊, *xiāngnáng*) or ***xiangbao*** (香包, *xiāngbāo*), and the generic term for these embroidery pouches is ***hebao*** (荷包, *hébāo*). They were also used as a token of love and were typically given as a means of expressing one's feelings for another in ancient times.

## References

2. ↑ Novel, Chapter 47: Important Person
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Novel, Chapter 190: Before the Flower Broke the Darkness
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Novel, Chapter 192: Promise of the Past
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Baidu Baike, 锦囊 (*Jǐnnáng*)
6. ↑ Baidu Baike, 香包 (*Xiāngbāo*)
7. ↑ Wikipedia, 荷包 (*Hébāo*)
8. ↑ Ivoci, 香囊 (*Xiāngnáng*)