The Tang dynasty marked the high point in the crafting of gold and silver hair ornaments, with both the technique and style showing the influence of Persian and Sasanian silverware. These two hairpins (zan) have been beaten into shape from sheet silver. The finial decoration is in openwork: on one pin, a lion roars amid leaf scrolls; on the other, a flying bird is seen against a cross-pattern. Both motifs are surrounded by a border of half-palmettes, and further enhanced by the gilding of the pattern areas, a technique that also protects the silver surface from tarnishing.
As women’s hairstyles became higher and more sophisticated, new types of hair accessories were developed to dress them. Royal and aristocratic women wore buns of false hair decorated with an elaborate array of silver hairpins like these to dazzle and impress. Hairpins also became significantly larger, ranging from 20 to 35 cm (8 to 14 in.) in length. The number of hairpins worn was also indicative of the wearer's social status.