The Secret and Beauty of Ancient Chinese Padlocks

Most ancient Chinese padlocks are key-operated locks with splitting springs, and partially keyless letter-combination locks. They can be characterized based on the types of locks, the shapes of locks, the engravings of locks, the materials of locks, and the mechanisms of locks. Some locks and keys are not only very beautiful and artistic colorful, but also with various designs. As a result, a splitting spring padlock is an asymmetric key cryptosystem, and a combination padlock is a symmetric key cryptosystem.

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2003
• Where: ASIACRYPT
• Authors: Hong-Sen Yan, Hsing-Hui Huang
• Keywords: ASIACRYPT 2003, Cryptology, Key-operated Locks, Keyless Letter-combination Locks, Splitting Spring