A Preliminary Study of Yingluo (Necklace Ornaments) in Southeast Asia: A Comparison with China and Japan

YIN Cijing

This paper presents a preliminary study of yingluo (necklace ornaments) in Southeast Asia by combining archaeological evidence with Buddhist sculpture, with comparative perspectives from China and Japan. In Southeast Asian archaeology, necklace ornaments are widely found in Iron Age and early historic sites and are commonly made of materials such as glass beads, semi-precious stones, gold, and shell. Excavations in Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia have uncovered rich assemblages of beads often arranged into multi-strand necklaces or chest ornaments, reflecting long-distance trade networks linking the Indian Ocean and the South China Sea. At the same time, yingluo ornaments frequently appear in Buddhist sculptures in Southeast Asia, particularly in images of bodhisattvas and crowned Buddhas dating from the 7th to 13th centuries. These sculptural necklaces usually consist of multiple strands of beads with central pendants and elaborate chest ornaments, and their forms show strong connections with elite jewellery traditions derived from South Asia. The relationship between excavated ornaments and their representation in sculpture suggests that necklaces function not only as bodily adornment but also as visual symbols expressing religious identity, sacred authority, and devotional belief. In comparison, China and Japan developed distinctive forms of yingluo in Buddhist art. Although multi-strand necklaces also appear in Buddhist imagery in these regions, differences can be observed in their forms, composition, and symbolic meanings. Through regional comparison, this study explores how necklace ornaments mediated the relationship between faith, identity, and sacred imagery in the religious cultures of the Asia-Pacific region.