The wheel symbolizes the turning

wheel of Buddhist doctrine that leads

to perfection

The conch symbolizes the far-reaching

sound of the Buddhist teaching

The parasol symbolizes protection as

well as spiritual power

The victory banner symbolizes the

victory of the Buddhist teaching

The lotus symbolizes purity The vase symbolizes the elixir of life The two fish symbolize freedom from

restraint

The endless knot symbolizes infinite

wisdom

Eight Auspicious

Symbols

The eight auspicious symbols of

the Buddhism of East Asia and

Hidden Meanings, Asian Art Museum.

Motifs for Blessings

The Chinese word fu (福), translated as blessings or happiness,

encompasses all that is auspicious in life. Foremost among the

motifs related to blessings is the bat, also pronounced fu (蝠) but

written with a dierent character. Many other traditional symbols for

blessings, such as the Buddha’s-hand citron and the sheep, extend

their cultural context to popular beliefs and the cult of Daoism.

1

五福八仙（五蝠、八桃) 紋盤 清乾隆朝

decoration

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P1707

The five bats (two on the back of the

plate) stand for the Five Blessings—

longevity, wealth, health, love of virtue,

and a peaceful death.

2

萬福擺件 清代 玉石

Bat carrying a swastika

ten thousand, portraying a wish for ten

thousand blessings.

3

壽山福海（飛蝠、桃樹、海濤）紋小碟

清雍正朝 景德鎮鬥彩瓷

Saucer with birthday greeting

China; Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province

Qing dynasty, reign of the Yongzheng

emperor (1723–1735)

Porcelain with underglaze blue and

be as old as the southern mountain.”

4

如意 清代 紫檀嵌玉石

B60J499

This wand, bearing a head that

resembles the lingzhi mushroom (the

fungus of immortality), is basically a

wishing wand, suggesting “May all your

wishes come true.”

5

佛手水盛寓意福壽 清代 玉石

Buddha’s hand citron

Approx. 1800–1900

the words for blessings (fu 福) and

longevity (shou 壽).

6

三多（多福多壽多子；佛手、桃、石榴）花插

清代 玉石

The Three Plenties

Approx. 1800–1900

China

Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Nephrite

abundance of blessings, longevity, and

sons.

7

百事如意（百合、柿子）擺件 近代 玉石

B65J5.a-.b

The lily, the persimmon, and the wand

with a mushroom head ruyi (a pun on

idiom: “May a hundred of your wishes

come true.”

8

三陽（羊）開泰新年鴻運 近代 玉石

Three sheep

Approx. 1900–1910

sheep, amassing as a cloud formation

on its back and supporting the taiji

(yin-yang) emblem. The sheep and the

taiji form a pictorial pun to express the

desire that the New Year will bring in

prosperity.

Motifs for Prosperity

The Chinese words for deer,

oicial salary, benefits, and

emoluments all share the same

sound lu. Images of the deer, for

example, symbolize good wishes

for a government title with a high

rank and salary. Such symbols of

prosperity and glory related to

educated men serving or hoping

to serve the court by passing the

civil service examinations.

12

連生貴子（蓮、笙、桂枝）萬代繁衍圖屏

Bequest of Drs. Ben and A. Jess

Shenson, 2002.26

The sweet olive tree (guihua, also a

homophone for “noble blossoms”) on

the left of this plaque proclaims that

all the boys under the tree are “noble

sons,” who will pass their civil service

examinations with flying colors and

bring honor to their families.

13

emperor (1573–1620)

Porcelain with underglaze blue

decoration

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P251.a-.b

A depiction of boys playing various

games implies a wish for the owner of

the vessel to bear numerous sons.

14

馬上封侯(馬、蜂、猴)擺件 清代 玉石

The monkey riding on a horse is a

pictorial pun for “May you immediately

be elevated to the rank of marquis!”

15

鹿祿蓋盒 清末民初 玉石

Box in the shape of a deer

Approx. 1900–1949

China

Nephrite

The Avery Brundage Collection,

16

功名富貴（公雞牡丹）圖紋杯碟 清雍正朝

景德鎮粉彩瓷

Teacup and dish depicting flowers,

rock, and animals

China; Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province

Qing dynasty, reign of the Yongzheng

emperor (1723–1735)

Porcelain with overglaze multicolor

decoration

17

童子戲如意、算盤、書劍、元寶圖紋小碟

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P2200

An infant holding a wish-granting wand

plays with an abacus, a book, a sword,

and an ingot. These motifs imply two

wishes: “It will be as you wish” and “To

achieve all in academics, martial arts,

and fortune.”

18

劉海佩錢戲蟾像 清末 景德鎮五彩瓷

decoration

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P1497.a

Liu Hai, the god of wealth, dances on

his three-legged toad while waving

a string of coins. The Chinese word

for toad and frog, wa, is a pun for dig.

Together with the images of Liu Hai and

coins, the subject matter is associated

with the desire for seeking wealth, as in

digging for treasures.

9

玉堂富貴（牡丹玉蘭）二甲歸錦（蟹、錦雞）

decoration

B60P1127

Depictions of the peony and white

magnolia convey: “May your noble

house be blessed with wealth and

honor.” The colorful birds and double

crabs indicate: “May you have a bright

future with a high rank.”

10

decoration

Eie B. Allison Collection, Gift of J. V.

West and B. V. Gewald, B81P7

Pointing at the sun signifies a wish for

imminent elevation to the rank of marquis.

11

二甲傳臚（螃蟹蘆葦）菏葉筆掭 清雍正朝

景德鎮粉彩瓷

Ink palette with motif of two crabs

China; Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province

An image of two crabs clinging to a

stalk of grain is a visual pun signifying

a wish for a high score on the final civil

Motifs for Longevity

In the Chinese religion and

practice of Daoism, some

advanced practitioners of

the Way (dao) tried to attain

immortality. Many Daoist deities

were worshiped as divine

saints, protectors of life, and

granters of longevity. Beginning

their lives as human beings,

they underwent a spiritual

and physical transformation

to confer health and longevity,

functioned as symbols of

immortality.

21

麻姑獻壽福 (桃、鹿、綬帶鳥) 清晚期

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60J119

Magu (“Hemp Lady”), the Daoist

goddess of longevity, is represented

with various attributes: a peach tree, a

long-tailed bird, and a deer carrying

a basket of peaches and wearing a

brocade textile decorated with the

character for longevity. All these motifs

are associated with prosperity and long

life.

longevity

China; Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province

Ming dynasty, reign of the Chongzhen

emperor (1628–1644)

Porcelain with underglaze blue

decoration

Gift of Roy Leventritt, B69P111L

Arriving on his crane, the god of

longevity is greeted by the Eight

Immortals, each representing iconic

symbols for eternal life.

23

芝仙祝壽（靈芝水仙天竺壽石）紋盤

Porcelain with underglaze blue and

overglaze multicolor decoration

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P192

The fungus, narcissus, nandina, and

rocks together form the auspicious

phrase, “Fungus fairy oers birthday

greetings!”

24

靈芝形筆掭 清乾隆朝 景德鎮藍釉瓷

B60P2051

Lingzhi, the fungus of immortality, is

also a wish-fulfilling symbol because

the head of the wish-granting wand ruyi

resembles the fungus in shape.

25

鶴鹿同春、喜福雙降（蝠、鹿、松、喜鵲）

圖紋手爐 清代 銅胎畫琺瑯

Handwarmer with deer, cranes, and

pine trees

several pictorial rebuses implying

prosperity, happiness, and longevity.

26

耄耋（貓、蝶）擺件 清末民初 玉石

The Avery Brundage Collection, B69J13

The word for cat (mao 貓) sounds like

the word for an aged person (mao

耄), while the word for butterfly (die

蝶) shares the sound with the word for

an elderly person in their eighties (die

耋). Together they form a visual pun for

longevity.

27

福壽如意（靈芝松鶴）擺件 近代 石英

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60J171

This container set is carved in the shape

of a pine tree and crane, with a bat

hovering over a clump of the fungus

of immortality, to construct the visual

pun (rebus): “May you have blessings

and longevity, and may all your wishes

come true.”

19

道教張天師布陣圖瓷片 明成化朝

Porcelain with underglaze blue

decoration

Gift of Roy Leventritt, B69P25L

founder of Daoism, who established

the religion and philosophy with a focus

on perfecting the self in order to attain

immortality.

20

麻姑獻壽圖紋盤 清康熙朝

Porcelain with overglaze multicolor

decoration

B60P376

Chinese women prayed to goddess

Magu, identified by the gardening

hoe and a basket of the fungus of

immortality, for long life.

Motifs for Happiness

The character for joy or

happiness (xi 喜) is associated

with pleasant events, such as

weddings and the arrival of

newborn sons. Throughout

Chinese history, boys were

regarded as vital to the

preservation of the patriliny,

because they would carry on

the family name and continue to

worship ancestors. In imperial

imaginable joy to the family.

30

幸臨春宴（杏林、燕）圖紋盤 清康熙朝

Porcelain with overglaze multicolor

decoration

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P1534

Swallows and apricot blossoms shown

together form a visual pun (rebus)

implying that success in the final level

of the civil service examination shall be

honored by an invitation to attend the

spring banquet.

emperor (1723–1735)

Porcelain with underglaze blue and

overglaze multicolor decoration

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P1425

Mandarin ducks are traditional motifs

for a harmonious marriage. They

usually swim among lotus plants,

representing harmony in marriage as

well as many sons.

32

六方喜慶雙聯（喜字、石磬、繩紋）圖樽

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60J426

The sides are decorated with the

character for joy (xi 喜) and images of

stone chimes (qing), forming a pun for

33

和合二仙（寒山拾得）蓮瓣擺件 清代

玉石

Two monks in a lotus petal boat

Two jolly beings—Hanshan, paddling a

boat using a broom, and Shide, holding

a fan—were poet-monks of the Tang

dynasty (618–907) and regarded as

the patron saints of harmony.

34

喜上眉梢(喜鵲蹬梅)圖瓶 清代

景德鎮五彩瓷

Bottle vase with magpies and plum

blossoms

35

子孫萬代繁衍和諧鴨形蓋盒 清代 玉石

B60J975.a–.b

Ducks are thought to mate for life. This

container was once a wedding present

expressing a wish that the couple have a

long and harmonious marriage.

36

喜上眉梢圖紋瓶 清代 套色玻璃

Vase with magpies and plum tree

1700–1800

China

up to one’s eyebrows,” because the

Chinese words for eyebrow and plum

tree share the pronunciation mei. This

is a typical Chinese expression meaning

one is happy indeed!

28

母子團圓和諧圖盤 清康熙朝

decoration

B60P243

her son surrounded by crabs, shrimps,

and vases of lotus and peony. This

scene conveys: “May your family have

numerous descendants, harmony,

nobility, and happiness.”

29

Nephrite

Gift of R. W. Winskill in Memory of

Lionel H. Pries, B86J16

Details of the Mallet vase B60P1237

Scene of Three Gods of Longevity, Emoluments, and Happiness, on the neck of the vase.

Scene of warriors before battle, on the body of the vase.

Porcelain with underglaze blue

decoration

Gift of Roy Leventritt, B69P6L

This high-quality porcelain reflects

the successful revival of porcelain

manufacture in Fuliang (Jingdezhen)

brought about by Emperor Yongle. All

porcelain articles for the court had to

follow extremely precise restrictions

through a seventy-two-step production

Porcelain with molded and carved

decoration under glaze

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P1764

With a round shape, neatly executed

lattice openwork, and two-layer serrated

pedestal, this incense burner is a rare

Song porcelain piece. Its high-quality

clay helped prevent its spherical, hollow

form from cracking or deforming during

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P2089

called ci, a ceramic object must produce a musical note when

struck. Among such objects is a class of wares known in the West

as porcelains. Porcelain is created from kaolin (a hard, white clay)

and petuntse (white china stone). When combined in the proper

proportions and fired at high temperatures, these two materials create

a glass-like, semitranslucent body. Porcelains are usually finished with

a transparent glaze that is white or clear.

The Chinese began to produce high-fired, glazed wares more than

three thousand years ago. The technology developed slowly over the

wares in northern China, and this production increased during the

following century. Beginning in the 700s, advanced kiln technologies

were applied to these wares to produce high-quality porcelains.

Porcelain was one of China’s great contributions to world ceramics,

and it supplanted silk in importance as a trade material.

Around a thousand years ago, the Chinese ceramics industry became

aware that the perfect combination of materials for producing a pure

province. By the 1300s the Jingdezhen kilns dominated porcelain

production, and they continue to do so in modern times. Examples of

ON SHELF

天臺山靈芝松鶴玉軒款筆筒 明末清初

竹根

Brush holder with motifs of longevity

Approx. 1600–1644

Inscribed with Jade Studio Yuxuan

China

ON SHELF

山茶梅花桃枝鹿鶴仙境杯 明晚期 犀角

Goblet with openwork flower design

Approx. 1600

China

Ming dynasty (1368–1644)

Rhinoceros horn

original rhinoceros horn, like this one,

are of greatest rarity.

China

Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Ivory and wood

Covered box for seal paste

China; Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province

Qing dynasty, reign of the Yongzheng

emperor (1723–1735)

Porcelain with overglaze multicolor

decoration

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P2323

This box is designed to store seal paste.

Seal paste, which contains cinnabar

Water container

China; Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province

Qing dynasty, reign of the Kangxi

emperor (1662–1722)

Porcelain with underglaze red and

overglaze multicolor decoration

The Avery Brundage Collection,

B60P1346

This water dipper (or brush washer)

exemplifies the scholarly objects

Seal in the form of bamboo

China

Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Nephrite

China; Yixing, Jiangsu province

Qing dynasty (1644–1911)

Ivory

87

綠紋扁肚鼻煙壺 清晚期 瑪瑙

88

溪岸觀帆圖鼻煙壺 清晚期 廣州

銅胎繪琺瑯

Enamel on metal

Gift of Margaret Polak, 2006.22

89

紅龍戲珠五福 （蝠） 圖鼻煙壺 清晚期

Shenson, 2010.145.a–.c

90

古式夔龍紋鼻煙壺 清晚期 北京

雪花白 套紅、赭玻璃

Snu bottle with young dragons,

approx. 1800–1900

Glass, B72M23.a–.b

76

王冠宇 內繪荷蓮鷺鷥、孟浩然詩句

Glass with ink

Gift of Margaret Polak, 2007.54.a-.b

77

二甲傳臚（螃蟹、蘆葦）蘭菊蝶映

鼻煙壺 清晚期 透明地套彩色玻璃

Snu bottle with flowers, crab, and

butterflies, approx. 1850–1900

Glass

Gift of the Asian Art Museum Foundation

from the Collection of Ransom Cook,

78

衍玉田 內繪深山談道圖鼻煙壺 清代

1895年 玻璃彩繪

Snu bottle inside-painted with

landscape and camels, 1895

By Yan Yutian (Chinese, active late

1800s)

Glass with ink and colors

Gift of Raymond Lum, 2006.33

80

平 (蘋) 安如意紋鼻煙壺 清代 琥珀

Snu bottle in the shape of a vase

81

太師少師（ 雙獅） 圖鼻煙壺 清晚期

梨形绿鼻煙壺 清中期 玉石

Snu bottle, approx. 1800–1900

Nephrite, B72M5.a-.b

83

舖首銜環鼻煙壺 清晚期 瑪瑙

Snu bottle made for the Mongolian

market, approx. 1850–1900

Agate

Gift of Roderick A. McManigal,

1991.233.a–.b

85

月下撫琴圖鼻煙壺 清晚期

景德鎮青花瓷

Porcelain with underglaze blue decoration

Gift of Raymond Lum, 2006.34

The bottle is painted with a scholar

playing a qin, a musical instrument

with seven strings. Qin playing was

Republic Period (1912–1949)

Agate

Gift of the Asian Art Museum Foundation