| A particularly charming aspect of jade renderings is | | | | also an elegant name for the Hanlin Academy, an |
| the hidden meaning in the carvings. Jade carvings are | | | | official bureau in China made up of the highest literary |
| often symbolic puns on spoken Chinese. Bats, for | | | | degrees.) |
| example, are a symbol of happiness or blessings | | | | The wish for an abundance of riches is evident among |
| because the spoken syllable for bat (fu) sounds the | | | | numerous rebuses connected with wealth. Cash (coins |
| same as that of blessing. Bats are often shown upside | | | | with a square hole in the middle) or gold and silver |
| down because the Chinese word dao (upside down) is | | | | ingots were the symbols of wealth in China. The |
| a pun on the word "arrived," so an upside down bat | | | | interlocking coin motif was a popular one. A goldfish |
| implies that happiness has arrived. The swastika is a | | | | wrapped in a lotus leaf signifies hebao jinyiu or "an |
| visual pun on the word wan meaning "ten thousand," | | | | abundance of gold in one's purse." A school of goldfish |
| making the whole object a symbolic invocation of | | | | swimming in a pond (tang) is a pun implying a wish for |
| 10,000 blessings. The three legged toad symbolizes | | | | one's household to be filled with gold and jade. |
| prosperity; the peach, longevity; and ducks, marital bliss. | | | | Abundance leads to prosperity. Three rams (sanyang) |
| The variety of symbols is seemingly infinite, and trying | | | | meant prosperity in the springtime, a complicated rebus |
| to decipher the secret messages in old carvings is | | | | which was a very auspicious symbol of the new year. |
| another aspect that makes jade collecting an addictive | | | | There were a number of gods of wealth in China |
| pastime. | | | | including a seated official holding a gold ingot; a child |
| The cryptic message in jade is called a rebus, a riddle | | | | dancing on an ingot or carrying one; or Liu Hai who |
| composed of words with syllables depicted by | | | | teases his toad with a string of cash. |
| symbols or pictures that suggest the sound of the | | | | Shouying, the God of Longevity, is a benevolent old |
| words or syllables they represent. For example, a | | | | gentleman with a prominent cranium holding a staff |
| common rebus for blessings is the foshou or Buddha's | | | | and the peach of immortality. The peach is of |
| hand citron, a fruit which resembles Buddha's fingers. | | | | paramount importance in Chinese culture and one of |
| When the Buddha's hand citron is combined with the | | | | the most popular motifs. Cats and butterflies are also |
| peach and pomegranate, it forms the motif of "the | | | | symbols of longevity. Cranes, traditionally associated |
| three plenties" - a wish for abundance of blessings, | | | | with pine trees, are both motifs for longevity. When |
| longevity and offspring. | | | | shown together they imply a wish for the bride and |
| In China, xi or happiness, was often represented by the | | | | groom to live to a ripe old age. |
| magpie whose name (xi) is a pun for happiness. A | | | | The Chinese believed in combating poison with poison |
| magpie perched on the top of prunus branch (mei), | | | | and created the motif of wudu or the "five poisons" |
| which stands for eyebrows, represents a rebus for | | | | represented by the viper, the spider, the toad, the |
| "happiness up to one's eyebrows." Two magpies | | | | centipede and the scorpion. The amount of poison |
| become a symbol for double happiness. | | | | generated by these creatures was thought to |
| The flower that symbolizes marriage is the lotus | | | | counteract any pernicious influence. A tiger was also |
| (hehua or lianhua). He is a pun for harmony while lian is | | | | thought of as a charm against evil influences. |
| a pun for continuous, therefore, a wish for continuous | | | | Animals played an important role in Chinese symbolism. |
| harmony. The lotus is one of the few flowers whose | | | | The water buffalo was the most important animal in |
| seedpod is already present when the flower begins to | | | | Chinese agriculture. The pig represented the main |
| bloom. To the Chinese, this excellent omen prophesied | | | | source of meat in the Chinese diet, and bears were a |
| the early arrival of sons. Other symbols of marriage | | | | favorite animal to use as supports to show the ability |
| include the double fish, a symbol of fertility and conjugal | | | | to carry great weight. With the introduction of |
| bliss; fish and water (a rebus for "may you agree like | | | | Buddhism into China came the use of different animals |
| fish and water"), and a pair of mandarin ducks, | | | | native to India, where Buddhism originated. Lions |
| symbols of fidelity and a happy marriage. The crab (a | | | | (sometimes called foo dogs) guarded temples and |
| pun for xie) holding a stalk of grain is yet another rebus | | | | tombs, the elephant symbolized Buddhist teachers and |
| for harmony. | | | | was often carved in jade, as were the attributes of |
| The dragon and phoenix were originally reserved as | | | | the Eight Immortals, symbolized by the fan, the double |
| royal symbols of marriage, but they soon came into | | | | gourd, the iron crutch, bamboo fish drum, the lotus, |
| common use. Another symbol of connubial bliss is | | | | flower basket, sword and fly whisk, castanets and the |
| represented by two badgers, a rebus for "double | | | | flute. |
| happiness." Symbols for children include gourds and | | | | The ancient tomb jades, which were buried with the |
| vines, or melons with butterflies. | | | | deceased to prevent decomposition of the corpse, |
| In ancient China rank was closely associated with | | | | included the cicada or locust, dragons, hydras, kylin and |
| wealth, for once a man became an official he was set | | | | fish images. The cicada was particularly symbolic |
| for life. Therefore, it was the ardent wish of parents | | | | because the larva of this insect spends the first four |
| that their sons become scholars to pass the civil | | | | years of its life underground and emerges as a |
| service exams with flying colors. The flower that | | | | complete insect, symbolizing immortality and |
| symbolizes this wish is the tree peony-the most | | | | resurrection. Even abstract patterns were used to |
| popular Chinese botanical motif. Because of this | | | | depict clouds, rice grains, silkworms and bamboo, all |
| association the peony became known as the flower | | | | important features of Chinese culture. |
| of wealth and rank. Peonies are often combined with | | | | The symbolism found in jade carvings can become |
| magnolia and crab apple blossoms to form the | | | | very complex in its intent, but the next time you |
| auspicious phrase yutang fugui or "wealth and rank in | | | | encounter an old jade carving take a moment to |
| the jade hall or wealthy establishment." (Jade Hall was | | | | consider the secret message it contains. |