Ancient Password.
In order to gain Access, to something of Precious Value - very often;
one requires a Password or a Key to UNLOCK it.
Or both [ in a mechanical sense ] in the case of this Antique Chinese copper - classic - poem - password - lock.
The Password in this case, being is a Chinese classical poem, by the name " Chu He ".
The original poem text in Chinese is:
锄禾日当午，
汗滴禾下土，
谁知盘中餐，
粒粒皆辛苦。
The English translation, reads.....
" The hoe seedling the day be noon, the sweat drop the seedling descend soil;
who know the dish Chinese food, the each grain is all hard work. "
The cylinders are rotated [ using the copper bar above, as the lock line ]
to form each line of the above poem.
This will allow the lock key, to be removed [ as indicated in the following photos ]
These photos of this wonderful example of an Authentic Ancient Chinese Password Lock - were permitted by Luoyancc.