The peony is traditionally considered the most prestigious flower in China. It is symbolic for power, royalty, wealth, and high rank. The ancient town Luoyang 洛阳 was famous for rare and beautiful varieties of peonies. The nickname of peony in …
Book is a symbol of education or examinations. Peony is a symbol of wealth and prestige. The motif combination of book and peony sends a message to the receiver ‘You may become super rich by receiving good education!’ Related …
Continue reading “You may become rich by receiving good education”
Goldfish is often found as a decorative motif in Chinese art. According to Chinese tradition, keeping goldfish in the house is considered auspicious, since the name for ‘goldfish’ (jin yu 金鱼) puns on the Chinese words for ‘gold 金 jin’ …
Common sources such as Baidu refer to the motif of a peony flower head with two distinctive ‘horns’ as a characteristic feature unique to Chinese porcelain of the Kangxi period (1662–1722). As a matter of fact, the tradition can be …
The Eight Auspicious Emblems, also known as ‘ba bao’ (八宝, Eight Treasures), or ‘ba rui xiang’ (八瑞相, Eight Symbols of Good Fortune), are a set of symbols in traditional Tibetan Buddhism. These symbols are often depicted together, bringing positive energy, …
The ‘Baoxiang 宝相’ pattern is a Buddhist motif created through artistic processing based on the shapes of flowers, flower buds, and leaves found in nature. The main subjects of the Baoxiang pattern are peonies, lotus flowers, and other similar elements, …
Gourd (葫芦 hu lu) in Chinese is pronounced similar to ‘fu (福, fortune)’ and ‘lu (禄, wealth)’, therefore its image is often used as a pun picture referring fortune and wealth. Related Pun Picture: May good fortune and ample official income …
Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium, 菊花 júhuā) joins the esteemed ranks of plum blossom, orchid, and bamboo as one of the ‘Four Gentlemen of Flowers’ – 四君子花 (sì jūnzǐ huā) in China. Just like peonies, chrysanthemums find their place in ancient classical …
Also named leechee, lichee, lichi, or litchi (nut). Lychee is a tall tropical evergreen tree of the soapberry family (Sapindaceae) native to southeastern China. It was recorded in the Xijing zaji (西京杂记, Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital), a collection …
A fish is an ancient symbol of material prosperity and fertility in China, both because it puns with another word yu 余 meaning ‘abundance’, and because of the huge quantities of fish in Chinese lakes and rivers. In some parts …