Symbolism on chinese porcelain
INTRODUCTION
ONE 18
THE PRINCIPLES OF THE COSMOS
Yin and Yang - The Cosmos in Harmony 20
Clouds and Flames 26
Colours and Numbers 28
TWO 34
THE DRAGON -
SYMBOL OF CHINESE CULTURE
The Power of the Dragon 36
The Dragon - Protector for the Afterlife 43
THREE 48
THE FOUR DIVINE CREATURES –
DRAGON, PHOENIX, OILIN AND BLACK WARRIOR
The Dragon - Emblem of Imperial Power 50
Dragon and Phoenix - The Ideal Pairing
of Male and Female, Emperor and Empress 56
The Qilin - Mysterious Powers 66
The Black Warrior - Symbol of Longevity 70
FOUR 72
THE SYMBOLISM OF CHINESE ANIMALS
The Lion 74
The Tiger 80
The Elephant 84
The Horse 91
Birds 93
Butterflies and Insects 96
Fish - Emblem of Abundance 102
FIVE 108
THE FLOWERS OF THE FOUR SEASONS –
PEONY, LOTUS, CHRYSANTHEMUM AND PRUNUS
Spring - Peony, the Queen of Flowers 110
Summer - Lotus, Flower of Beauty
and Buddhist Symbol 116
Autumn - Chrysanthemum,
Symbol of Longevity and Retirement 124
Winter - Prunus, the Winter Plum,
Symbol of Courage and Hope 130
SIX 134
THE QUEST FOR IMMORTALITY
Islands and Mountains - The Paradises
of Daoism 137
The Eight Immortals - Loved and
Worshipped by Everybody 147
The Peaches of Immortality 156
Lingzhi, the Mushrooms of Immortality,
and Ruyi, As You Wish 160
The Rabbit in the Moon and the
Elixir of Immortality 164
Bamboo, Pine and Prunus:
The Three Friends of Cold Winter 168
SEVEN 174
THE IDEALS OF A CONFUCIAN SOCIETY AND WISHES
FOR INDIVIDUAL HAPPINESS
Confucian Ideals - Peace, Harmony
and Hierarchy 176
Mandarin Ducks - Wishes for Marital Bliss 182
Boys, no Girls 186
Wishes for Success in the Imperia'
Examinations 196
The Three-Legged Toad:
Money, Money, Money 200
EIGHT 210
FREEDOM - THE IDEAL OF THE LITERATI
Literati and Literary Themes 212
Nature - Landscape Motifs 221
Acknowledgments 227
Index of Motifs 228
Chronology 230
Glossary of Technical Terms 231
Bibliography 233
Imprint 240
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