Chinese good luck refer to patterns, designs, or specific texts that express good fortune and happiness. They are the embodiment of traditional Chinese culture and the labor of the people. These symbols typically use images of figures, animals, flowers, birds, and texts to express people's aspirations for a auspicious and beautiful life through metaphor, analogy, pun, homonym, symbolism, and other techniques.
The Chinese Character "囍"
The character "囍" is truly a masterpiece of character culture, representing double happiness. It resembles two people, a man and a woman, standing hand in hand, with square symmetry and harmonious balance. One cannot help but feel joy and laughter upon seeing it. This character is so auspicious that even in today's world where traditional culture has largely disappeared, it can still be seen everywhere, whether in first-tier cities or small towns. Whenever there is a celebration, this character is sure to be present.
In China, particularly in joyous occasions such as traditional weddings, the character "囍" is an indispensable element. It is often meticulously crafted into various decorative patterns or prominently displayed as text in wedding venues. The red "囍" character on a white background is particularly eye-catching, symbolizing the joy of marriage and the beginning of a happy marital life for the newlyweds, as they embark on a new chapter in their lives together.
The character "囍" is not just a simple Chinese character; it carries rich cultural connotations and profound emotions. In weddings, its appearance is like a silent blessing, conveying the heartfelt wishes of friends and family for the newlyweds and expressing the couple's hopeful expectations for their future life together.
Furthermore, the character "囍" is often combined with other auspicious elements such as magpies and plum blossoms, forming lively and joyful patterns. These patterns are not only aesthetically pleasing but also symbolize good fortune and happiness, allowing people to experience the unique charm of Chinese traditional culture amidst the festive atmosphere.
The Chinese Character "卍"
The character "卍" (swastika) is another auspicious symbol in folk culture, but it is an imported one. It is recorded in the Avatamsaka Sutra: "The Tathagata's chest has a great human figure, shaped like the swastika, named the auspicious sea of clouds." This "卍" character is located in the chest of the Buddha Shakyamuni, called the "auspicious sea of clouds," metaphorically representing boundless auspiciousness and endlessness.
After the character "卍" was introduced to China, it was given various names. Master Xuanzang translated it as "德" (virtue), while others translated it as "万" (ten thousand). Later, during the reign of Empress Wu Zetian, it was officially named "万" (ten thousand). In Chinese characters, "万" also implies boundless vastness, and naming it "万" corresponds well with its shape and meaning. It seems that Empress Wu Zetian, who was adept at creating characters, was quite skillful in this regard.
In folk culture, the "卍" character (left-facing) can also be written as "卐" (right-facing), reflecting the concept of yin and yang, male and female, opposing yet unified, collectively forming this endless universe.
Unlike the "囍" character, the "卍" character is now rarely seen in folk culture, with its presence mostly limited to Buddhist temples, where it is retained as a symbol.
However, during World War II, this symbol was once prominent as the emblem of Nazi Germany. Hitler wrote in "Mein Kampf": "(The Nazi party flag) The red color symbolizes the social significance of our movement, while the white color symbolizes nationalist thought. The swastika symbolizes the mission of striving for victory in the struggle for Aryan supremacy."
As for why Hitler chose this symbol as the emblem of the Nazis, it is said to have been influenced by the "New Templar Knights." This organization was an anti-Semitic group that believed the Aryan race was the finest in the world and that only Aryans could save the world. The leader of this organization was also an astrologer who predicted that Hitler would become a great figure who would shock the world. Deeply influenced by him, Hitler borrowed the emblem of this organization, the "卍," as the symbol of the Nazis.
Of course, the Nazi "卍" is different from the traditional Chinese "卍" character; the Chinese "卍" character is square, while the Nazi version is diamond-shaped, tilted at a 45-degree angle.
Chinese knot and auspicious clouds
The Chinese knot and auspicious clouds were revitalized during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming prominent traditional symbols of good fortune.
The origin of the Chinese knot can be traced back to ancient times, even to the period of the Peking Man. As humans began sewing clothes with bone needles and thread, some individuals with nimble hands would create unique patterns with the threads, making the earliest forms of art. Later, during the era of knot-record keeping, some individuals not only valued the practicality of knots but also explored their artistic potential. Thus, even after written language replaced knot-record keeping, knots did not fade into obscurity but became indispensable decorations in people's daily lives, passed down for thousands of years.
Compared to other decorations, the Chinese knot is the simplest, requiring only a piece of rope, readily available material, and no auxiliary tools. With just a pair of skillful hands, intricate and exquisite knots can be woven, making it the simplest, most practical, and best embodiment of the homeowner's dexterity in home decorations.
The vibrant red Chinese knot reflects the essence of traditional Chinese culture, with its fiery color, symmetrical shape, and intricate structure corresponding to the Chinese people's aspirations for warmth, balance, and order, making it deeply loved by people.
The other auspicious symbol of the Beijing Olympics, auspicious clouds, also has ancient origins. Cloud patterns were already mature during the Zhou Dynasty, and by the Qin and Han Dynasties, cloud patterns had become a very common decorative symbol.
This is not difficult to understand, as ancient people relied on agriculture for their livelihoods and were naturally very attentive to weather changes, especially clouds representing rain, which were of paramount importance. Therefore, clouds became objects of worship for ancient people. Moreover, clouds are ever-changing, diverse in form, and can be considered the grandest, most peculiar, and cheapest artistic spectacle in the world, naturally sparking infinite imagination.
In the inscription "The Godly Way of the Lord of Guangrao Public Yuwen," cloud patterns are mentioned: "Auspicious clouds enter the realm, and rain follows the carriage." In the eyes of ancient people, everything in the world was related to celestial phenomena. Once auspicious clouds appeared, it meant that something auspicious was about to happen, making auspicious clouds a symbol of great auspiciousness.
In "Journey to the West," Zixia imagined her great hero riding a colorful auspicious cloud to rescue her, proving this point. However, there is no historical mention of a "colorful auspicious cloud." The correct term is "five-colored auspicious cloud," originating from Taoist theory of the five elements, corresponding respectively to green - East Wood, red - South Fire, white - West Metal, black - North Water, and yellow - Central Earth. Therefore, it is somewhat improper for the Buddhist disciple Sun Wukong to ride on a Taoist five-colored auspicious cloud.
Ruyi scepter
In ancient literary works, there is a common appearance of an item called the "ruyi." To modern eyes, its shape resembles that of a lingzhi mushroom, exuding a somewhat refined aura that seems only suitable for scholars and beauties. Moreover, at auctions today, it often commands prices ranging from tens of thousands to millions, making it an item beyond the reach of ordinary people.
However, in reality, the ruyi was not so sophisticated in ancient times; it was quite the opposite, as humble as it could be. Just by looking at its other name—“yangyangnao,” which means "to scratch an itch," one can understand this. I apologize for calling such an elegant item by such a mundane name, but regardless of what it's called, its essence remains unchanged. The term "ruyi" means "as desired" or "as wished," suggesting that it can reach places human hands cannot and scratch in the way one desires, hence the name "ruyi." Besides these two names, in the south, it is also called "buqiuren," while in the north, it is called "laotoule."
The earliest ruyi was purely designed as a scratching tool. Its front end was shaped like a human finger, attached to a long stick, allowing one to scratch an itch anytime, anywhere, and as desired. Later on, people gradually found that carrying around such a large claw was somewhat unsightly, especially when some skilled craftsmen made ruyi with front ends that looked exactly like human hands. Suddenly pulling it out at night could startle people. Therefore, some adjustments were made over time, such as changing the front end to the shape of a lingzhi mushroom and curving the straight stick. This change transformed the ruyi from a purely functional scratching tool into a work of art with both practicality and aesthetics. Even the curved shape of the front end was endowed with the profound meaning of "fulfilling wishes instantly."
During the Wei and Jin Dynasties, the use of the ruyi was quite common, perhaps because the literati of the time liked to take Five Stones Powder, and they did not like to bathe, so they scratched themselves with ruyi. Each literatus had his own ruyi, scratching himself while discussing matters of the day, becoming a major spectacle at the time.
We all know the story of the contest between Shi Chong and Wang Kai during the Western Jin Dynasty. When Wang Kai moved a large coral tree given to him by the emperor, thinking he had won, Shi Chong scoffed and smashed it with a ruyi he was holding. It was Shi Chong who smashed this precious coral tree with a ruyi. Even at such a sensational event, people did not forget to hold a ruyi, indicating how itchy they were at the time.
According to the "Biography of Wei Rui" in the "History of the Southern Dynasties," the famous general Wei Rui of the Southern Dynasties even took a ruyi with him when he went into battle, using it as a baton to command his soldiers. If he wanted them to go east, he pointed the ruyi eastward; if he wanted them to go west, he pointed it westward. I wonder if the soldiers felt itchy watching him wave the ruyi around.
By the Qing Dynasty, perhaps because the Manchu people had never seen such a thing before, the ruyi became a luxury item in the imperial court. For example, when the emperor saw a minister's meritorious service, he would reward him with a ruyi to show his favor. When foreign envoys came, in addition to bestowing large amounts of gold, silver, and jewels, each envoy would also receive a ruyi. Even when the emperor selected concubines, he would use a ruyi. Whichever one he favored, he would hand her a ruyi, indicating that she could now scratch his back. Of course, the official explanation was that she could now share his worries.
This was the case when Emperor Guangxu was selecting a consort. He was about to hand a ruyi to Consort Zhen when Empress Dowager Cixi stopped him and told him to hand it to Consort Longyu instead because Consort Longyu was Cixi's niece, making her even closer to Cixi.
From this, it can be seen that by the late Qing Dynasty, the ruyi had become a symbol, so its withdrawal from the historical stage was not surprising.
Longevity Lock
In many places, there is a custom of giving children a longevity lock, which means that when a child is born, on their one hundredth day, the parents buy a longevity lock for them to wear, symbolizing "longevity and prosperity."
The origin of the longevity lock can be traced back to the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, a period marked by chaos caused by nomadic tribes, making it the darkest and most tragic period in Han Chinese history. Survival in peace became the greatest wish of the people, leading to the emergence of the longevity thread, also known as the longevity thread, life-extending thread, long-life thread, or five-colored thread. It was made of five-colored silk threads wrapped around the child's arms, hoping that the five elements would protect the child from disasters and ensure a long life.
By the Song Dynasty, although there were no more wars, the wish for longevity and prosperity would never disappear. Not only children but also adults began to wear these longevity threads. Every year around the Dragon Boat Festival, even the emperor would bestow longevity threads upon his ministers.
Later, during the Ming Dynasty, adults stopped wearing them, and they were only given to children. The styles evolved from threads of five colors to various shapes. Wealthy families started to use silver locks and gold locks, giving them to children from their first birthday until they reached adulthood.
In some places, there is also the custom of "Hundred Family Locks." For example, in Hunan, after a child is born, the parents ask a locally respected person to raise money from one hundred families, exactly one hundred families, to make a silver lock inscribed with "Hundred Family Treasure Lock" on one side and "Longevity and Prosperity" on the other side. This symbolizes gathering the strength of one hundred families to protect the child's longevity. It is worn when the child reaches three years old during the "Hua Shu Guan" ceremony and can only be removed after passing the "Da Guan" ceremony at twelve years old.
However, this method was too cumbersome, and not everyone could afford it. So people came up with an alternative method: exchanging the money for a silver lock with beggars. Because beggars collected money from all over, the amount was not much different from one hundred families. A silver lock made with this money naturally could also be called a "Hundred Family Lock."
Of course, modern people don't care much about these customs anymore. When a child reaches one hundred days old, they can easily go to a silver shop and buy one, only to take it off after a few days.
福 (Fú) - Blessing
The Chinese character "福" (Fú) holds significant importance in Chinese culture, being one of the most beloved characters. As the Spring Festival approaches, whether it's the tall buildings in the cities or the ancient houses in the countryside, every household's front door is adorned with a conspicuous and unique "福" character. This "福" character is different because it is hung upside down.
The custom of hanging the character "福" upside down has a long history, containing profound cultural connotations and people's aspirations for a better life. In Chinese, the pronunciation of "倒" (dào, upside down) is very similar to "到" (dào, arrive). Therefore, an upside-down "福" character symbolizes the arrival of good luck. People believe that by doing so, they can welcome good fortune and happiness in the new year.
This custom is not just a tradition but also a manifestation of emotions. Whenever people see the upside-down "福" character, a warm feeling surges in their hearts, as if they can see the beauty and hope of the coming year. It is not just a character but also a symbol of culture, a bond of emotion, connecting everyone's yearning and pursuit of a better life.
The upside-down "福" character also embodies the optimistic and progressive spirit of the Chinese people. It tells people that as long as there is hope in their hearts and they are willing to work hard, good luck and happiness will come. This spirit is not only reflected during the Spring Festival but also runs through the daily lives of the Chinese people, becoming a way of life, a courage to face difficulties and challenges.
Bat
In Chinese culture, the bat is a very special animal, endowed with profound symbolic meaning. It is not just a nocturnal mammal but a symbol of good fortune and blessings. The secret lies in the homophony between the Chinese character for "bat" (蝠, fú) and the character for "blessing" (福, fú).
In Chinese, the pronunciation of "蝠" (fú, bat) is similar to "福" (fú, blessing), hence the bat is endowed with the symbolic meaning of blessings. In traditional Chinese culture, blessings represent the desirable state of a good life, encompassing health, happiness, smoothness, and prosperity. Due to its unique homophonic characteristics, the bat has become the embodiment of blessings and is often used as an auspicious symbol, symbolizing the arrival of happiness and good luck.
In ancient architecture, traditional paintings, and folk handicrafts, we can see the image of bats. They soar in the clouds or perch on branches, in various forms, vivid and lifelike. These bat patterns are not only aesthetically pleasing but also represent people's aspirations for a better life.
Whenever people see these bat patterns, they associate them with visions of abundance and continuous good fortune. They seem to be an invisible force, giving people confidence and courage, believing that as long as they strive hard, they will surely welcome happiness and success.
In summary, the bat is a very special presence in Chinese culture. It is not only a creature in the natural world but also a symbol in people's hearts, representing countless good wishes and expectations. Through the homophony and symbolism, the bat conveys the meaning of happiness and good luck to everyone, becoming an indispensable part of traditional Chinese culture.
Fish
In traditional Chinese culture, the fish, an ordinary animal, is endowed with profound symbolic meaning, becoming a special cultural symbol. It not only represents aquatic life but also symbolizes abundance and wealth. The origin of this symbolism is closely related to the homophony between the Chinese words for "fish" and "surplus."
Because of the similarity in pronunciation between "fish" and "surplus" in Chinese, fish are often used as auspicious patterns in Chinese culture, symbolizing prosperity and abundance. During the Spring Festival, fish can always be found on the tables of every household, symbolizing surplus year after year, hoping for an affluent and prosperous life in the new year. This custom has been passed down for thousands of years and has become an indispensable part of Chinese culture.
In addition to the symbolism of surplus year after year, fish are also closely associated with the pattern of carp leaping over the Dragon Gate. This pattern tells the story of carp overcoming difficulties through perseverance and hard work, ultimately leaping over the Dragon Gate and transforming into dragons. It symbolizes that as long as people keep moving forward courageously and without fear of difficulties, they will surely achieve success and rise in status. This pattern not only inspires generations of Chinese people to strive for success but also becomes a unique artistic expression in Chinese culture.
Pixiu
Pixiu, a mythical beast originating from ancient Chinese mythology, has long been beloved and revered by people. In legend, Pixiu possesses a magical power. It not only can ward off evil and dispel surrounding malevolence but also can attract wealth and continuously bring good luck and fortune. Due to these unique magical abilities, the image of Pixiu is widely used in various talismans and ornaments.
People believe that wearing or placing Pixiu talismans can bring peace and auspiciousness to themselves and their families. In the busy and noisy modern life, this belief has become a spiritual sustenance, enabling people to maintain inner strength and courage when facing challenges and difficulties. At the same time, as a symbol of wealth attraction, Pixiu is also favored by numerous businesses and enterprises. They hope to attract more wealth and opportunities by leveraging the magical power of Pixiu to promote the development and growth of their careers.
In traditional Chinese culture, the image of Pixiu has evolved over thousands of years and has become a unique cultural symbol. It is not just the image of a mythical beast but also a symbol of people's hopes and aspirations for a better life. Whether in ancient palaces and temples or in modern home decorations, we can see the figure of Pixiu. With its unique charm and profound cultural connotation, it has become a bridge connecting the past and the present, as well as bridging the gap between humans and gods.
Gourd
The gourd, a beloved natural object in Chinese culture, has carried rich symbolic meanings since ancient times. Its round and full shape not only brings aesthetic enjoyment to people but also symbolizes health and longevity. In traditional Chinese culture, the gourd is often regarded as a symbol of auspiciousness, representing people's yearning for and pursuit of a good life.
The shape of the gourd bears resemblance to the Taiji Yin-Yang diagram, both of which embody the philosophical concept of Yin-Yang balance and harmonious coexistence. Therefore, the gourd is also seen as a magical treasure with mysterious powers, capable of warding off evil and ensuring the safety and health of people. This belief is widely circulated among the people, making the gourd a unique cultural symbol.
In addition to its symbolic significance, the gourd also has a wide range of practical uses in daily life. It is often used as a vessel for storing wine or medicine. This is not only because the gourd itself has good sealing and moisture-proof properties but also because people believe that the gourd can dispel diseases and disasters and prolong life. In ancient times, physicians often used gourds to hold medicines to enhance their efficacy. In folk culture, people also use gourds to store wine, symbolizing celebration and auspiciousness.
Dragon and Phoenix in Harmony
In the ancient and rich traditional culture of China, the dragon and phoenix occupy an extremely noble position. They are respectively known as divine creatures, symbolizing power and glory, as well as beauty and elegance. The dragon, vigorous and majestic, represents endless power and supreme status; the phoenix, graceful and noble, symbolizes incomparable beauty and pure qualities.
When the images of the dragon and phoenix are interwoven to form the pattern of dragon and phoenix in harmony, the meanings they convey are profound and full of blessings. This pattern not only praises power and beauty but also expresses the beautiful hope for auspiciousness, happiness, and a fulfilling life. In traditional Chinese weddings, the pattern of dragon and phoenix in harmony is often meticulously embroidered on bridal attire and dowry items or carved on furniture and doors and windows of the bridal chamber, symbolizing that the newlyweds can weather life's ups and downs together and create a happy and harmonious marital life.
The combination of dragon and phoenix also symbolizes the philosophical concept of the harmonious coexistence of yin and yang and the reconciliation of heaven and earth. They depend on each other and complement each other, together forming a harmonious and magnificent picture. This harmony is not only reflected in visual beauty but also in profound understanding and wishes for life and marriage.
Therefore, the pattern of dragon and phoenix in harmony is highly respected in Chinese traditional culture. It is not just a decorative pattern but also a continuation of culture and a spiritual sustenance. Whenever people see this pattern on festive occasions, they can feel the auspicious and happy atmosphere it brings, as well as the boundless longing and anticipation for a better life in the future.
