Bat: The bat is a symbol of good fortune. This auspicious decoration is frequently found on porcelains and embroideries and has apparently been revered since Neolithic times. Two bats means extreme happiness and five bats represent the five blessings: tranquility, wealth, longevity, love of virtue and a natural death.
Bear: The bear is a symbol of bravery and strength. A picture or a statue of a bear is said to be a potent charm against robbers.
Bee: The Chinese bee is a creature of a gentle disposition. Bee is an emblem of industry and thrift. Honey mixed with oil is a euphemism for false friendship.
Butterfly: A favorite design in folk art and embroidery, butterfly is a symbol of longevity and associated with summer and happiness. The Daoist philosopher Zhuang-zi recalled a dream in which he was a butterfly happily flying from place to place with no knowledge of self. When he suddenly awoke he knew himself for Zhuang-zi who had dreamed of being a butterfly. . . or was he a butterfly dreaming that he was Zhuang-zi? Thus the philosopher demonstrated the uncertainty of knowledge and the happiness of ignorance.
Carp: Legend has it that messages were placed in the bellies of carp and carried afar. Carp thus came to symbolize communication with a distant loved one. Because of the fish's scales and whiskers it came to symbolize the dragon's strength and perseverance. The carp that braves the Yellow River to leap the falls at Longmen [the Dragon Gate], is transformed into a fish-dragon. The design of the fish passing over the Dragon Gate is thus a sign of academic achievement and a wish for success.
Cicada: The ancient Chinese, upon seeing the cicada emerge from the ground and change into a perfect insect, regarded the cicada as a symbol of immortality and resurrection. Thought to prevent degeneration of a corpse and to assure re-birth into another world, the ancients carved jade cicadas and placed them in the mouths of corpses before burial. Due to its melodic rhythm it is also an emblem of happiness and eternal youth.
Crane: The crane, after the phoenix, is the most celebrated bird in Chinese legends. A common symbol for longevity, it is often pictured under a pine tree, another symbol of longevity. It is portrayed in all forms of art; painting, ceramics, embroidery, and carvings from wood to jade. In art it is often seen carrying a sage off to the Three Islands of the Immortals in the Eastern Ocean.
Crow: The black crow and the white-necked crow is a symbol for the Sun, and a red or golden crow with three feet is said to live there. It is an emblem of filial piety because of the belief that it takes care of its parents when in their old age by disgorging food for them. The white-winged crow however, is an evil omen.
Deer: The Chinese believe that deer, especially the spotted deer, live to a very great age, and thus it has become an emblem of longevity. It is said that it is the only animal which can find ling-zhi, the fungus of immortality. It is often portrayed with the God of Longevity.
Dove: The dove is often seen in embroideries of garden scenes. The Chinese believe it to be stupid and lascivious, but grant it qualities of faithfulness, impartiality and filial duty. In ancient times it was regarded as an emblem of long life.
Dragon: Without question, the most celebrated and significant creature of Chinese artistic symbolism is the Dragon. More than 5,000 years ago the dragon was carved by Neolithic Cultures. The earliest of these carvings were the zhu-long, or embryo dragons. Zoomorphic dragon hybrids were created from every imaginable beast from insect to human by these early cultures, and findings suggest an early belief in dragons as a symbol of immortality and perhaps even transcendence.
Dragonfly: A popular motif in paintings and embroideries, and a popular subject in poetry, the dragonfly is an emblem of summer and a sign of impermanence. Because the dragonfly gathers in large numbers before a storm, there is a Chinese belief that these insects are impregnated by the wind.
Duck: The duck is a symbol of bliss or great happiness. The Mandarin Duck is so named because of its elevated status above all other waterfowl. When paired, these ducks form a bond of attachment to one another, and it is said that if they are separated, they will pine away and die. Thus they are a symbol of conjugal fidelity.
Elephant: The elephant is an emblem of strength, prudence and great intelligence. The animal is sacred in Buddhism and is often associated with the Buddha who is sometimes depicted riding upon an elephant. Quan Yin, the "Bodhisattva of Compassion", is also often seen upon the back of an elephant. The White Elephant is the most holy beast of Buddhism and considered one of Buddhism's Sacred Treasures. Though not found in China today, except rarely south of Yunnan, elephants once roamed much of China. Giant carved stone elephants can be seen today lining avenues which lead to the tombs of the Ming Emperors in Beijing and Nanking.
Falcon: An emblem of boldness and vision, the falcon, along with other birds of prey, is seen early on as an animal of both utility and entertainment. Neolithic people, notably the Hongshan Culture, frequently carved the falcon in jade amulets, pendants and girdle jades. It can be deduced that falconry, hunting with birds of prey, established itself as a sustaining sport in Neolithic times. The falcon factored in the jade carvings and bronze castings of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties as one of the most popular motifs. Carvings of "Falcon Trainers" were carved with some regularity. The Mongol Emperors are well known for their love of falconry and according to Marco Polo, Kublai Khan had no less than seventy thousand attendants on his hawking excursions.
Fish: The fish has been universally known as a symbol of abundance since the Neolithic Era. Both the Liangzhu and the Hongshan cultures carved jade in the form of fishes five thousand years ago. It has played an important part in the arts and myths of Chinese throughout history. Because of the great abundance of fish in Chinese waters, it has come to be a symbol of regeneration. Because it is so at ease in its watery environment, it has come to represent harmony and connubial bliss. Thus a pair of fish is emblematic of the joys of union. A pair of fish also has a literal symbolic meaning of food for today and food for tomorrow. In Buddhism, the fish signifies freedom from all restraints due to its ability to move freely in all directions. Because of the physiological similarities between fish and birds, Chinese lore holds the nature of these creatures to be interchangeable.
Goldfish: The delicate and lively Chinese Goldfish is a symbol of wealth and good fortune. Its name in Chinese, jin-yu, sounds like "gold in abundance". From an aesthetic viewpoint, the many fantastically beautiful varieties of goldfish are much revered and enjoyed by people everywhere. Most temple courtyards have a vessel for viewing these fish. The goldfish design is often used on Chinese porcelain and embroidery.