How animals, plants, objects and written characters form visual wishes—and where those readings come from.
19 guides · Page 2 of 2
Pine and crane
Why Pine Trees and Cranes Symbolize Longevity
Long life · painting · object context
Magpie and plum
Why a Magpie on Plum Blossoms Means Joy Up to the Eyebrows
Position · sound · composition
Lotus and fish
Why Lotus and Fish Mean Abundance Year After Year
Sound · pairing · complete phrase
Dragon and fenghuang
Why the Dragon and Phoenix Appear Together
Court art · marriage · context
Double Happiness
What the Chinese Double Happiness Symbol Means
Wedding use · paired forms · history
Five Blessings
What Are the Five Blessings?
Classical text · translation · five bats
Sound and wordplay
How Chinese Rebus Designs Work
Objects · sound · documented combinations