Vacationing in China: 9 Symbols to Know

9 Chinese Symbols to Know

Are you thinking of taking a vacation trip to China? Here are the nine most popular cultural symbols you'll see displayed in a variety of ways, including on buildings, feng shui items, souvenirs, and more. Read on for a complete description of each.

1. Shuang Xi (Double Joy)

Let’s begin with one of the simplest Chinese symbols. Even if you’ve never seen this before, you’d likely be able to guess its meaning from the type of goods it is printed onto.

An amalgamation formed by the Chinese character for joy (喜, xi), the character is still read as xi, or sometimes as shuang xi. A wedding motif, Chinese newlyweds display this around their houses on their wedding day as well as print it onto banquet invitation cards. The character is often also used as a decorative motif for wedding gifts.

During your China vacation, you will very likely encounter this symbol on sale in souvenir shops and festive markets, too. In Chinese culture, there are no restrictions on buying or displaying this character outside of wedding occasions, as the character doesn’t have any religious connotations.

That said, you should, of course, never give anything with this symbol to someone who’s divorced or widowed. That would be considered offensive in any culture.

2. Bagua, the Chinese Trigrams

The bagua (八卦) is an arrangement of Chinese trigrams that denotes the elemental reality of the world. Heavily associated with Taoist mysticism, bagua and similar Chinese symbols are nowadays commonly found on many “Chinese-themed” souvenirs and decorations. An example would be training swords for Chinese martial arts practice.

In addition, Feng Shui, or Chinese geomancy, also heavily uses the bagua as a defensive mechanism. Households and companies display it above main entrances for the purpose of deflecting negative energy, known as sha qi (杀气).

Generally speaking, though, there are no major stipulations or superstitions involving being around a bagua or carrying one. However, as they are mythical objects, you should refrain from touching those belonging to others.

3. Fu (Blessing)

The simplest of all Chinese symbols on this list, Fu (福), is the Chinese character for good blessings. Note that “blessings” in the Chinese culture and language are different from good luck or wealth; there are completely different Chinese characters for the latter two. Fu, in essence, denotes an overall positive life, one that’s free from mishaps, illness, or conflict. In a limited way, it implies lasting joy, too.

Fu is also most commonly found on Chinese New Year gifts and decorations. Outside of this, it is one of the most frequently used Chinese characters for Feng Shui objects, interior decorations, and tourist souvenirs.

In the case of souvenirs, it is frequently paired with other “good luck” objects such as gold ingots, zodiac guardian animals of the current year, jade carvings, etc. Anything with Fu on it makes for an ideal gift or a Chinese holiday souvenir. After all, who wouldn’t want a blissful, joyous, and contented life?

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4. Guan Gong (Chinese God of Honor)

Guan Gong (关公) is the honorific title of Guan Yu, a much-respected general from the Three Kingdoms period. The Chinese embodiment of honor and loyalty, Guan Yu began being worshipped as early as the Sixth Century A.D. Today, Guan Yu remains widely worshipped throughout Chinese communities.

With the exception of artistic paintings, objects featuring Guan Gong inevitably have some sort of metaphysical association. Guan Gong statues are heavily used in Chinese geomancy displays, and in Hong Kong, both policemen and underworld triad members venerate Guan Gong as the personification of (male) camaraderie.

As for buying statues of Guan Gong, there is nothing particularly wrong with it unless you are religiously sensitive. Do note, though, that Chinese culture considers Guan Gong as a force of justice, i.e., raw power. Thus, it is considered inappropriate, even dangerous, to give someone anything with Guan Gong represented on it.

5. Zhao Cai Jin Bao (Beckoning of Wealth)

An anagram of the Chinese characters for the phrase zhao cai jing bao (招財進寶), this Chinese symbol has the exact meaning as the phrase it is formed from, i.e., the beckoning of wealth and treasure.

One of the most frequently used motifs in decorative paper cuttings, it is especially popular during the Chinese New Year festive period. At the same time, the anagram is often also used in paintings, sculptures, and other Chinese-themed decorations.

To put it in another way, zhao cai jing bao is one of the safest and most uniquely Chinese souvenir symbols to buy during a Chinese vacation. This is one you cannot go wrong with.

6. Menshen (Gods of the Door)

Nowadays, you’d only encounter menshen (门神) at the main entrances of traditional Chinese mansions and communal facilities. As their displays imply, menshen are used to ward off evil. Menshen is also always displayed as a pair, never just as one.

While Chinese worship of deities of the door began as early as the Han Dynasty, most Chinese nowadays consider menshen to represent the Tang Dynasty generals Qin Shubao and Yuchi Gong.

The legend goes that Emperor Taizong ordered portraits of the duo to be affixed to gates, supposedly because he was tormented by nightmares brought on by his slain foes. Over time, these portraits evolved into highly popular divine protection for households and properties, often elaborately displayed at wealthier mansions, temples, and clan houses.

To give an example of the latter, it is not uncommon for richer clan houses to have menshen etched and decorated in glittering metallic colors. Famous historical ones are even considered artistic masterpieces and are heavily featured on itineraries of guided Chinese tours.

7. Good Luck Knots

Knots have been popular throughout Chinese history. In recent years, their popularity has surged even further, thanks to them being perceived as effective geomancy charms.

When sold as souvenirs, they are frequently paired with other Chinese symbols for good luck or wealth, for example, on ancient coins or jade pendants. Mini gold ingots are also often suspended from an intricate Chinese knot. The latter is especially popular during the Chinese New Year.

As for patterns, there are many types of knots, all typically made with lanyards in red or off-red colors. Regardless of design, though, all knots emphasize a symmetry of pattern since they represent harmony.

Lastly, the intertwining of lanyards to form the knots is also a popular metaphor for relationships, be it platonic or romantic. Of note, knotting is not unique to China. Other East Asian civilizations such as Korea have traditions of knot making too. Albeit with significant design differences.

8. Chinese Peaches

This simple fruit could be utterly baffling for tourists unfamiliar with Chinese culture, especially when it isn’t paired with other Chinese symbols. Distinctive in shape and usually in shades of pink, the Chinese peach doesn’t represent abundance or harvests or anything you would normally associate with food. It represents longevity.

The origin of this is the frequent appearance of such magical peaches in Chinese folklore, in which they are said to ripen once every three thousand years and are capable of imbuing immortality. In folk art, these peaches are thus frequently paired with the God of Longevity; the latter is always represented as a genteel and bald elder wielding a staff.

Thanks to such myths, many Chinese birthday banquets nowadays serve “peach bun” or “longevity buns” as a compulsory main course. Note that such buns are merely made to represent the mythical, life-extending peaches of heaven; none contain any fruity fillings. Don’t be too disappointed when eating a plain-tasting one during your China vacation.

9. Chinese Carps

The graceful Chinese carp is a major element in Chinese landscape designs. They are also extremely popular subjects in Chinese paintings.

The popularity stems from the Chinese character for fish being a homophone of the character for excess. Both are pronounced as yu with the same intonation.

During Chinese New Year, many festive gifts are decorated with lively carp and the phrase nian nian you yu (年年有余), which means having excess/abundance every year. In recent years, even Chinese New Year rice cakes known as Nian Gao are sold in the form of graceful carps.

Outside of Chinese New Year, many Chinese also display carp artworks at home or offices as an aspiration for abundance. Apart from auspicious connotations, such artworks are naturally also appreciated for their tasteful designs.

References

• Bloomfield, F. (1993). The Book of Chinese Beliefs. Ballantine Books. ISBN: 0345363590.
• Skinner, S. (1990). The Living Earth Manual of Feng-Shui: Chinese geomancy. Arkana. ISBN-10: 0710090773.
• Guan Yu, a Defied Chinese Ares. China International Travel Service. (n.d.). http://www.cits.net/china-travel-guide/guan-yu-a-defied-chinese-ares-.html.
• Greenberg, B. M. (2021, January 18). The Menshen: The Guardians of Gates and Doorways. Mythology Source. https://mythologysource.com/menshen-chinese-deity/.
• Longevity in Chinese Art. metmuseum.org. (n.d.). https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/long/hd_long.htm.
• Wikimedia Foundation. (2021, June 14). Chinese Knotting. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_knotting.

This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.