‘Dié 蝶’ from hú dié 蝴蝶, the Chinese character for ‘butterfly’, can be used to pun on ‘dié 耋’, meaning ‘octogenarian’ in the phrase ‘May mother live up to a ripe old age 萱耋’, or ‘dié 瓞’ for ‘small melons’ in the phrase ‘May the male line in your family clan continue and flourish 瓜瓞绵绵’.

Related Pun Picture:

May the male line in your family clan continue and flourish 瓜瓞绵绵 

• Fig 1: falangcai enamelled porcelain vase, Qianlong period (1736-95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 2: porcelain bowl, Chenghua period (1465-87), Ming dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 3: porcelain bowl, Jiajing period (1521-67), Ming dynasty, courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

  Fig 4-7: porcelain vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY

  Fig 8: porcelain vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Jie Rui Tang Collection

  Fig 9: porcelain vase, Kangxi period (1662-1722), Qing dynasty, courtesy of Minneapolis Institute of Art

  Fig 10-11: porcelain bowl, Yongzheng period (1723-35), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

  Fig 12: copper lidded jar decorated with polychrome enamels, Yongzheng period (1723-35), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 13-14: glass bottle with painted enamels, Qianlong period (1736-95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 15: A hundred butterflies 百蝶图 (detail), ink and colour on paper, Yu Sheng (余省 1692-1767), courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 16: doucai dish, Daoguang period (1821-50), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Art Institute of Chicago

  Fig 17: globular vase, Qing dynasty (1644-1911), courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

  Fig 18: porcelain vase, Qing dynasty (1644-1911), courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei