Bamboo
Always green in color, bamboo is a symbol of old age and modesty. Bamboo and
plums together represent man and wife. Bamboo, pine trees, and plums commonly
seen together in a painting are the "Friends in Winter". Chinese
Bamboo Paintings
Banana
Symbol for self-discipline.
Bat
One of the top symbols for good luck. The word "bat" in the Chinese
language sounds identical to the word for "Good Fortune." Often five
bats are shown together to represent the Five Blessings; a long life, riches,
health, love of virtue, and a natural death.
Bear
Symbolizes man and stands for strength and courage.
Beard
A sign of supernatural power or of bravery, especially when it is red or purple.
Bee
Symbolizes industriousness and thrift.
Black
Symbolizes darkness, death, honor.
Book
The book is one of eight symbols of the scholar and represents learning.
Bowl
The bowl is one of the eight Buddhist precious things. It represents the stomach
of the Buddha and may also represent the urn into which the bones of the
dead are put.
Broom
A symbol for wisdom and insight.
Carp
Similar sounding to the word "Business" in Chinese, the carp symbolizes
a wish for benefit or advantage in business.
Chrysanthemum
Symbolizes autumn. Its Chinese name sounds similar to the words "remain,
nine, and long time." It is best to pick chrysanthemums on the 9th day
of the 9th month.
Clouds
Symbolize good fortune and happiness, especially when they have more than one
color.
Cock
Wards off evil. A picture of a red cock will protect a house from fire. A white
cock placed on a coffin will keep demons at bay. A cock is never to be
killed or bad luck will arise.
Conch
Shell
Used by Hindus and Buddhists in religious rites or to call together an assembly.
It is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism.
Crane
Symbol of longevity. It is often shown with other symbols of longevity such
as the pine tree. Two cranes flying upward towards the sun has the meaning
or wish of "rising high."
Cricket
The cricket symbolizes summer. It also represents courage and a fighting spirit.
Dragon
One of the most complex and multi-tiered Chinese symbols. The dragon is a good
natured and benign creature often living in seas, rivers, lakes or clouds.
A symbol of male vigor and fertility, the dragon is also a symbol of the
Emperor, the Son of Heaven. Paintings often show two dragons playing in
the clouds with a ball or large pearl.
Dragon
Fly
The Dragon Fly is a symbol of summer.
Eagle
A symbol of strength, an eagle shown perched in a pine-tree is a suitable gift
for an older man, wishing him strength of an Eagle and longevity of a pine-tree.
An eagle on a rock in the sea symbolizes "hero" who fights a
lone battle.
Elephant
The elephant can symbolize strength and astuteness. It is regarded as an animal
with very high moral standards and is often shown along with the tiger,
lion and leopard.
Endless
Knot
Symbolizes long life, eternal love and the interconnection of things. In Buddhism
the simple form with no beginning and no end stands for the infinite knowledge
of Buddha. It is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of Buddhism.
Feng
Shui
The art of placing houses and graves in cooperation and harmonization with
local currents of the cosmic breath (Yin and Yang). The dousing rod and astrological
compass are used in this process. The placement of symbolic figures on roofs
and the pictures of spirits on doors and/or placement of stone images in front
of buildings are done to achieve a lucky atmosphere in which the cosmic currents
can develop a favorable Feng Shui.
Fish
Fish in Chinese sounds like the word for "Abundance and Affluence" so
the fish symbolizes wealth. Fish shown with a lotus blossom symbolize "Year
after Year may you live in Affluence".
Chinese
Fish Paintings
Five
Elements
Shown by the colors green, red, black, yellow and white. Green clouds indicate
a plague of insects. Red symbolizes virtue, especially truth and sincerity.
Black symbolizes guilt and vice. White indicates moral purity. Yellow is a
sign of prosperity.
Golden
Fishes
The two gold fish are usually shown head to head and represent fertility as
fish produce many offspring. They are one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols of
Buddhism.
Goldfish
The Chinese words for goldfish are identical with the two words meaning "Gold
and Abundance" therefore many Chinese keep goldfish at there homes or
in ponds in temple gardens.
Goose
Symbol of married bliss. |
