Abacus
Antique Dealers: Symbolism On Chinese Porcelain
Legend
and mythology abound as art motives on porcelain.
Below are listed some of the symbols and their meanings.
ARTEMESIA
- One of the eight precious things. Drives away disease.
Hung over a door it will disperse evil influences.
Often found on blue and white and famille verte objects
from the Kangxi period in the place of the Nian hao.
BAMBOO
- One of the ‘Three Friends of Winter’,
often depicted together with pine and prunus. Emblem
of longevity.
BAT
- Emblem of happiness. Usually painted red, the colour
of joy. The Wu Fu, or five bats of happiness, stand
for the five blessings: old age, wealth, health, virtue
and natural death.
CHRYSANTHEMUM
- Together with plum, peony and lotus symbolizes the
four seasons. It is the emblem of autumn and symbol
of joviality.
COCKEREL
- Protection against bad astral influences. It also
frightens ghosts away at sunrise by its crowing.
CRANE
- An emblem of longevity and superhuman wisdom. Cranes
are the flying steeds of the immortals, their other
celestial locomotion being clouds. The crane is also
believed to carry the souls of the dead to the Western
Heaven. Cranes flying into the sky symbolize a rise
in status.
DEER
- The only animal able to find the sacred fungus of
immortality. Represents official emolument. The God
of Longevity usually depicted mounted on a stag or
standing by his side.
DOUBLE-GOURD
- A microcosm containing heaven and earth. Scrolling
double-gourds, bats and the character shou show a
wish for long life and many sons.
DRAGON
- Imperial emblem of the Emperors from the Han period,
the coat of arms being two dragons contesting the
fiery pearl. Guardian of treasures, also emblem of
vigilance. Both Buddhist and Daoist legends abound
with stories of this powerful, benevolent creature
described beautifully by Okakura, a Japanese writer:
‘Hidden in the caverns of inaccessible mountains,
or coiled in the unfathomed depths of the sea, he
awaits the time when he slowly rouses himself into
activity. He unfolds himself in the storm clouds;
he washes his mane in the blackness of the seething
whirlpools. His claws are in the fork of the lightning,
his scales begin to glisten in the bark of rain-swept
pine trees. His voice is heard in the hurricanes,
which, scattering the withered leaves of the forest,
quickens to a new spring.’ There is a theory
that during the Yuan and Ming periods decoration of
a five-clawed dragon was for imperial use only. Certain
objects have had the fifth claw carefully removed,
thereby downgrading the status of the piece, perhaps
because these objects had been stolen from the palace.
However, there are arguments against this theory.
DUCK
- Symbol of conjugal fidelity. Pairs of Mandarin ducks
swimming amongst waterweeds are particularly favoured
as a design on 14th century blue and white Chinese
porcelain.
HORSE
- Emblem of speed and perseverance. The legend of
the eight horses of Mu Wang often used as a decorative
motif.
LIONS
- Not indigenous to China, however, in the wake of
Buddhism lions were seen as having superhuman strength
as protectors and mounts of holy beings. Guardians
of Buddhist temples. Sometimes called Dogs of Fo,
they are emblems of valour and energy. Often depicted
in pairs pursuing a brocaded ball which represents
the jewel of the law, a pearl, or an egg enclosing
a cub.
LOTUS
- Symbol of purity and perfection. Emblem of summer
and fruitfulness. One of the eight treasures of Buddhism,
also held in great esteem by Daoists.
PEACH
- The fairy fruit. The fruit that gave immortality
to the Immortals and was the elixir of life to the
Daoists. Emblem of marriage. Symbol of spring and
immortality. The peach tree of the Gods was said to
blossom once every 3000 years and the fruit of eternal
life took another 3000 years to r ipen.
PEACOCK
- Emblem of beauty and dignity. The tail feathers
used from the Ming dynasty to show official rank.
PEARL
- The concrete essence of the moon. Emblem of genius
in obscurity, also a sign of beauty and purity.
PEONY
- King of flowers. An omen of good fortune. Emblem
of love and affection and feminine beauty. The sign
of spring.
PHEASANT
- The imperial symbol of authority, also used as a
symbol of office.
PHOENIX
- Emblem of the Empress and of beauty. Only appears
in time of peace and prosperity. Ranks second of the
four supernatural creatures, the dragon being the
first, the unicorn third and the tortoise fourth.
A train of small birds is always in attendance when
the phoenix flies.
POMEGRANATE
- Symbos of fertility and numerous male progeny as
it is full of seeds.
THREE-LEGGED
TOAD - Existed only on the moon, which it swallowed
during the eclipse. Symbol of the unattainable. Liu
Hai, an immortal, apparently possessed a three-legged
toad.
QUAIL
- Emblem of courage because of its pugnacious character.
WILLOW
- Buddhist symbol of meekness. Also a sign of spring.
Believed to have the powers to expel demons.
