Sunday, March 14, 2010

CHINESE SYMBOLIC ITEMS

The Chinese culture is ultra-rich with symbolism. Certain flowering plants and trees, specific animals and mythological beasts, the four seasons, legendary gods and goddesses, fruits and food, indeed, it seems that every action and every sound has its own special symbolic meaning to the Chinese people.

5 Bat (Chinese fuk - wu fuk) - wealth, health, longevity, virtuous life and natural death

5 kind of Seeds - prosperity, growth and perpetuation of the family

Apple - 'Ping' sound like the word for peace. Always associated with peace and harmony

Bamboo - longevity and good health

Celery (kai choi) - deligence

Charcoal - a happy post martial life for the bride

Chicken - form part of the symbolism of the dragon and phoenix in Chinese Wedding as it symbolize a good marriage and the coming together of families

Chinese Garlic Chives - eternity

Clogs - career advancement

Duck - represent fidelity in Chinese culture

Eggs - symbolize fertility (after a baby is born, parent will pass out hard boiled eggs to announce the birth; the number of eggs presented depends on the sex of the child; an even number for a girl and an odd number for a boy)

Fish (yu) - sounds like the word for riches and abundance and it is believed that eating fish will help your wishes come true in the year to come.

Garlic - new opportunities coming your way. Sound similar to "counting lots of money"

Grapes - plenty of good things to come and bring success in the near future. It helps to turn bad luck into good luck. More fertility and good infant luck

Honey Dates - intimate love

Leaf Lettuce or endive (sang choi) - vitality

Lime - 'Kat' sound like prosperity

Lotus - 'Lian Hua' in Chinese is a universal symbol of purity and enlightenment. Symbolizes good fortune secured through generations

Lotus Roots (lin ngau) with roots intact and plenty of tubercles - the prosperous offspring desired by the couple as well as longevity of both the couple and their family

Lotus Seeds - blessing with many sons

Multi descendant doll - a prosperous offspring

Noodles - symbol longevity

Oyster (ho shi) - means "good things"

'Pak Hap' - perfect harmony for a hundred years

Peanut - sound like growth. Life pursuits to grow and prosper

Peony (mou tan) - flower of riches and honor, love and affection, feminine beauty and amorous feeling of youth

Pineapple - luck coming your way. Excellent wealth, fortune and prosperity

Pomelo - an ancestor of the grapefruit signifies abundance, as the Chinese word sounds like "to have"

Pumpkin - abundance, prosperity and good descendant luck

Red Cloth - good luck

Sandals - the newly weds clothing

Shrimp (ha) - sound like someone laughing; for happiness and well being

Some Grains - sufficient food

Spring Onion - intelligence

Sticky Rice Cake (nian gao) - sound the same as high. Meaning of attaining greater prosperity and ranking in position

Tong Yuen - a perfect communal relationship

Winter Bamboo Shoots - a symbol of wealth


To order
contact Winnie 6012-302 1293
or email to
cadeausouvenirs@gmail.com
or visit our showroom at
1st Floor, The Atria Shopping Centre

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