Chinese Auspicious Symbols and Designs

You all well know that the dragon is a legendary figure of the Chinese mythology and folklore, but do you know the symbolic meaning hidden behind this creature? And did you know that many animals and plants hide a symbolic meaning as well?

"Smiling" dragon in the Forbidden City, Beijing

Symbolic meanings are an intrinsic part of Chinese culture and, more than merely decorative, the symbols and motifs that appear on Chinese art and craft works often represent hidden meanings that convey a desire for the good things in life.

Since ancient times the Chinese have been attaching great importance to auspiciousness (吉祥ji xiang in Chinese), expressing with auspicious symbols not only their yearnings for wealth, fame, health, safety, longevity, happiness, etc., but also their values, taste and lifestyle.

The nature of their written and spoken language has contributed to the rich vocabulary of symbolism. The large numbers of homophones in the Chinese language means that words with different meanings can be associated with each other due to a similarity of sound when spoken. As well as linguistic symbolism, there are symbols which originated from ancient cosmological and mythical beliefs.

Pillow with lotus embroidery at the Jade Buddha Temple, Shanghai

Auspicious designs symbolizing good luck first appeared during the Shang Dynasty (16^th-11^th century BC), were greatly developed during the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) Dynasties, and reached their peak of popularity during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) Dynasties.

Auspicious symbols are vital to a good understanding of Chinese culture: surrounding oneself with objects bearing auspicious symbols was, and still is, commonly believed to increase the likelihood of wish fulfillment.

Such desire and aspirations are expressed in depictions of plants, animals, human figures, and objects, alone or in combination, and there is so many of them that it`s very easy to get lost. That`s why with this post I decided to give you an overview of the most recurrent symbols in Chinese art and craft works  For more convenience I divided them into four categories, so if you click on the links below the list of symbols with their explanation will open in a different page. Enjoy reading and next time you go to an exhibition or travel to China take a closer look to spot the symbols on artifacts, clothing, furniture and architecture!

Part 1 - Auspicious Beasts and Birds

Part 2 - Auspicious Flowers and Plants

Part 3 - Auspicious Immortal Figures

Part 4 - Auspicious Chinese Characters and Objects