Gods: To say that there are a great many ancient gods in Chinese cultural history and many of them are represented in the symbols carved or drawn in the antiques. Since Chinese history dates back to the year 3,000 BC, it is no surprise that many of the gods and goddesses represented in the symbols are linked to the many different cultural aspects of human behavior over the years. Human emotions dictate how these gods will be depicted. There is a top tier of gods known as the Stellar Triad and a second tier known as the 8 Immortals. Their appearances in antiques and art are quite frequent. Some examples of specific gods and their representative emotions are Hexiangu who represents marriage, Lu Dongbin who stands for liberated greed and lust, Zaojun who is associated with household harmony, and Xi or joy.
Animals: With a good amount of Chinese cultural history being associated with knowledge of the natural world, it is easy to see why so many animals show up in the antiques. The imagery of the animals includes bats (good luck), monkeys (human spirit), turtles (immortality), and various other indigenous creatures of the region. Each and every animal is connected to a specific trait in a manner no different than how gods are depicted.
While representations of flowers, fruits and vegetables make it seem like these symbols fall into many different categories, they really serve to represent the entire vast collective of the natural world itself that is so prevalent in these antiques. While there are a variety of symbols, each has an identical meaning, because they each signify a single natural object. For instance, long life is symbolized by bamboo, pine, mushrooms and others. And longevity is, of course, linked heavily to the natural world. Some other very common symbols include flowers which stand for wealth, the lotus which means progeny, and the peach which signifies for joy.
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