Symbols of China. Language of flowers. Chinese symbolism of cloisonné

Symbolism is present in the life of the people of any country, even the most civilized and highly developed. Since the dawn of civilization, man has had a belief in magical power various mystical paraphernalia - amulets, idols, amulets, talismans. Most often, their role was played by images of elements of living nature, primarily real and mythical animals.

Every nation has its own beliefs about the influence of natural forces on people's lives. In China, this is the famous teaching of Feng Shui (“wind” and “water”). There are a great many Feng Shui talismans that activate various types of energy, bringing positive changes to a person’s life. Some of them, over the thousand-year history of their existence, have become unique symbols of the Celestial Empire.

Dragon 龙 long

One of the favorite symbols, which must be depicted with a precious “accessory” - a pearl of wisdom in its paws. The dragon is the divine patron of the emperor himself. Despite his terrifying appearance, this mythical character represents kindness, absolute harmony, wisdom and greatness. The dragon's duty is to provide for its owner financial success, good luck in business and building a career, protect from ill-wishers.

According to legend, the Dragon has the body of a snake, the belly of a frog, the antlers of a deer, the eyes of a hare, the ears of a cow, the golden scales of a carp, the tail and paws of a tiger. The dragon, which over time became a symbol of all of China, arose as collective image animals that surrounded primitive hunters. The features of a boar, horse, camel, and snake merged together to create a dragon, the image of which has remained unchanged for four thousand years.

The first drawings of dragons were found on oracle bones and turtle shells.

According to Chinese folk beliefs, the dragon, the lord of the water element, gave people moisture. He generously irrigated the fields of those who served him faithfully, protecting the peasants from countless disasters.

In the hierarchy of Chinese deities, the dragon occupied third place after heaven and earth. He was depicted in the most bizarre forms. The dragon's eyes are like those of a rabbit, and its ears are like those of a cow; he has a long mustache; the body resembles the body of a snake, covered with scales; four tiger paws have eagle claws. There is also another option: a dragon's head, like a camel's, mustache, like a hare's, eyes, like a bull's, neck, like a snake's, belly, like a lizard's, scales, like a carp's, claws, like an eagle's, paws, like a tiger. Sometimes the dragon was depicted as a large snake or an animal that resembled both a tiger and a horse. But in all cases, the appearance of the monster was majestic, stern and warlike.

There were four types of dragons: the heavenly dragon, which guarded the abodes of the gods; the divine dragon who sent wind and rain; the dragon of the earth, who determined the direction and depth of rivers and streams; a dragon guarding treasures.

Popular fantasy has created many varieties of dragons - lords of the water element. There was a belief that the seas, rivers and lakes were controlled by dragons that did not rise into the sky. They are known by the names: yellow dragon (huang long), serpentine dragon (jiao long), wriggling dragon (pan long). People began to associate almost all incomprehensible natural phenomena with the tricks of the dragon. He was depicted in clouds and fog or in waves to create the idea of ​​the ability to create wind and waves. He soared into the sky and soared in the clouds, baring his fangs and releasing his claws.

The Chinese loved their dragons and gave them high honors. Among the emperor's many titles, the most honorable was "living dragon". The imperial throne was called the "dragon throne". The state's coat of arms featured a dragon.

The legendary ruler of China, Fuxi, according to legend, introduced ranks and ranks for officials and assigned a special dragon patron to each class. Thus, the ceremonial robes of officials of the highest, seventh rank were decorated with a moon dragon embroidered with gold threads, which had five claws on its paws. The attire of lesser dignitaries was befitting of a man dragon, which had only four claws.

Dragons were divided not only by the number of claws. At the highest level of the dragon hierarchy were dragons that could fly. They had dragon spirits under their command. Then - earthly dragons: they were once flying, but for various reasons they lost this ability. Closing the list were underground dragons, whose duty was to protect treasures.

One “contemporary of dragons,” Wang Chong, reasoned this way: “A dragon has a form. If it has a shape, it can move. If he moves, he must eat. If he eats, then he is of a material nature. A being of a material nature is real.”

There were a great variety of dragons - from gigantic to very tiny. They even talked about a dragon the size of a little finger - a kind of little dragon.

The image of a dragon in China could be seen everywhere: in temples, in palaces, on memorial obelisks, on ancient buildings, on the walls of peasant houses (in the form of a picture or a paper cutout). IN different time, especially often in May and June, religious processions took place in honor of the dragon - “Prayers for Rain”. An integral element of such a procession was the dragon dance. Next to the mythical monster, banners of various colors swayed: yellow and white symbolized wind and water, black and green - clouds. Along the procession's path, bonfires were laid and "sacrificial money" was burned on them.

Phoenix 凤凰 fènghuáng

The prototype of the red Phoenix bird was the sacred symbol of the ancient Egyptians - the Benu bird. Phoenix (Chinese Fen-huang) symbolizes the infinity of existence and resurrection in fire after death. It also personifies good luck and the revival of the human spirit in the difficult eternal struggle against the temptations and difficulties of the material world.

Qilin 独角兽

WITH light hand The first missionaries who pursued a good goal - to adapt Chinese folklore to European ideas about the fauna of the East, began to call the qilin the Chinese unicorn. Descriptions of the qilin in Chinese mythology are very contradictory.

There are at least six “breeds” of this wonderful beast, of which the most popular is the Kirin. He dominates all animals living on land, and in Feng Shui he personifies the divine unity of two principles, awakened consciousness, inner peace, nobility and wisdom.

Turtle 龟guī

Amulet "Three catfish with lingzhi mushrooms". Xinjiang jade, carving. End of the 20th century

For the Chinese, happiness is not an abstract concept or an elusive goal. This is a well-defined category, consisting of simple values, tangible even at the everyday level: health, a happy family (many children and strong relationships between spouses), wealth and a successful career. Since ancient times, the “Five Types of Happiness” (ufu) have been known and embodied in ornaments - longevity, wealth, peace, high morality and natural death from old age.

The following motifs are most common on household items and art.

HAPPINESS AND JOY

♦♦♦The hieroglyph “happiness” (si).

♦♦♦Bat (bianfu) - consonant with the phrase “universal, complete happiness” (bianfu); in a benevolent plot there may be either one or several bats surrounded by others lucky symbols. “Five types of happiness, harmony and agreement” (ufu he he) - a hint-wish for great happiness and harmony. Five bats are depicted flying out of the box. The words “together with the box” (he he) sound like “harmony and agreement” (he he). This plot is also often called “Five bats came to the court” (wu fu lai chao).

♦♦♦Deer (lu) - sounds the same with the word “joy” (le).

♦♦♦ Magpie (Xiqiu) is a symbol of joyful deeds and events. A magpie sitting on a plum tree is an expectation of a joyful event, or “Joy on the eyebrows” (shishan meishao). In addition, it can be associated with pregnancy, childbirth, or a happy event.

♦♦♦Three stars shine from above (san xing gao zhao) - this is a hint of a wish for great happiness, a successful career and longevity. Three stars (san xing) symbolize happiness, career and longevity (fu lu shou). The happiness and misfortune of a person depends on them. The Fuxing star controls misfortune and prosperity, Lu-xing - wealth and nobility, Shoushin - birth and death.

♦♦♦Pine and cypress are ancient evergreen trees that symbolize longevity.

♦♦♦Immortal crane - myths say that it lives for several thousand years.

♦♦♦Lingzhi mushroom - if a person eats this mushroom, he can live up to 100 years.

♦♦♦Peaches of immortality - in the novel “Journey to the West” it is said that in the palace (tian) peaches (pantao) grow in a special garden, producing one fruit every 3000 years; If you eat it, you will never grow old.

♦♦♦Turtle (gui) is a long-liver, symbolizing peace and health.

♦♦♦Immortal (Xianzhen) - legendary characters who live indefinitely and do not age, for example, the Eight Immortals (basyan).

♦♦♦Longevity Star (laoshoussing) - ancient symbol peace and wealth, wishes for a good beautiful life and praise.

♦♦♦Hieroglyph and stylized signs for “longevity”.

WEALTH AND PROSPERITY

♦♦♦Fish (yuy) - consonant with the hieroglyph “prosperity” (yuy).

♦♦♦Peony Siudan) - symbolically indicates nobility and wealth.

♦♦♦Lyukhai - a mythical character; Having tamed a magical toad that spits out gold coins, he began to help those in need.

♦♦♦Toad - the golden toad of the celestial Liukhai.

♦♦♦Coins and bars - attract and enhance wealth.

Cicada on a lotus leaf - “Be reborn with pure thoughts.” Fragment of a tea scoop. Wood, carving. Modern work.

FAMILY HAPPINESS AND NUMEROUS OFFSPRINGS

♦♦♦ Pomegranate (sew) - its open fruit is a metaphor pointing to a large number of children. The plot with an open pomegranate is called “At a joyful event, the face opens in laughter” (xixiao yankai).

♦♦♦Grapes (putao) - symbolizes a large number of sons.

♦♦♦Guanyin - personifies compassion and consolation; prayers are offered to her by those who want to be saved from suffering and misfortune.

♦♦♦Qilin - brings children.

♦♦♦Mandarin ducks (yuanyang), lotus boxes (bindilyang), a pair of flowers opposite each other (hua cheng dui). Both flowers and birds form pairs - this is a hint and wish for a successful marriage.

Miniature figurine “Monkey with Peaches”. Wood, carving. End of the 20th century

PROMOTION AND ACHIEVEMENT OF RANKS

♦♦♦Monkey (houzi) - consonant with the word “prince” (hou); it is the highest title in the social hierarchy.

The cockscomb (jiguanghua) symbolizes an official (guan).

♦♦♦Halberd (ji) - indicates promotion, sounds like “degree in service” (ji).

♦♦♦Big lions, small lions (tayili, shaoshi) - symbolize two degrees of promotion: major commander, commander (tayili, shaoshi).

♦♦♦A vessel made of dried gourd (hulu) - indicates a promotion, an increase in salary, a hint of career advancement.

ON YOUR BIRTHDAY

On one's birthday, one traditionally wishes for longevity. With best wishes for long years happy life The symbolic meaning of gifts is also connected. On the birthday of one of the spouses, an image with birds of paradise is presented, which means “With deep respect, I congratulate you on your birthday” (zhu mei shou or). The ornament is based on the similarity of the sound of the words “bamboo-:: “congratulations”, “plum” and “eyebrows”, “long-liver” and “birds of paradise”.

The following themes are also suitable for a birthday: “The Beauty of Heaven”, a wonderful mushroom and a stone of longevity (tian zhu xiang lin shou) - a wish for a long life, “A heavenly official bestows happiness.” The female plot is with the fairy Magu, who, according to legend, brings youth and health for many years.

Aunt Ma grants longevity (to the Xiangshou magician)
Auntie Ma (Magu) is depicted carrying a basket of peaches and mushrooms, a stork (symbol of longevity) and a deer (symbol of happiness). Magu - sounds like the word “mushrooms” (I can). Wishes for longevity.

The heavenly official bestows happiness (tianguang sifu)
A celestial being, the head of the heavenly ranks (look guan, shang yuan), is depicted, unrolling a scroll; geeky phrase. Flying up bat a symbol of happiness sent from heaven.

Shou Shin is the deity of longevity. Wood, carving. Late XIX V.

NEW YEAR'S MOTIVES

New Year in China it is the Spring Festival, the most revered holiday of the nation for several thousand years. During this time, many wonderful customs and traditions have developed, but throughout the Celestial Empire the basis of the holiday is the same - to remove the old and welcome the new, to repay gratitude for everything that was given to you last year, to make a new beginning for the future.

Preparations begin from the full moon that precedes the coming new year. After the house is in order, it is decorated. By tradition, special paired inscriptions are required - “couples at the door” (mentui), or “spring stickers” (chunte), or “spring bundles” (chunliang). They are written on red paper and hung on both sides of the front door. Thousands upon thousands of homes welcome the arrival of spring with these colorful decorations.

The Chinese people know that happiness and unhappiness come into the house through openings - windows and doors. On the eve of the birth of the year, it is important to invite all that is good and protect the home from harm, therefore, in addition to favorable inscriptions at the front door, you can often see images of guards - Wei Chihong and Chubao, as well as peach amulets hanging at the entrance - tablets with images of Shen Shu and Yu Lei, which reliably protect the doors. Decorative cockerels cut out of red or colored paper are glued onto the glass windows. Another custom that arose during the Song Dynasty is to hang the hieroglyph “happiness” upside down on doors: “inverted well-being” (daofu) sounds the same as “to achieve well-being.”

New Year's entertainment. Folk picture, nyaphua. Paper, color printing, hand-tinted. Modern copy

Men-sheni are the guardian spirits of the entrance to the house. Folk picture, shnhua. Paper, color printing, hand-tinted. Late 19th century

The rat gets married - there will be a rich harvest.
Folk picture, nianhua.
Paper, color printing, hand-tinted. End of the 19th century

There are many other symbols that traditionally fill homes during New Year’s celebrations. To attract happiness, “fruits that pacify the year” are placed next to the pillow - tangerines (ji) and lizhi (li), which sounds like “happiness and profit.” The vase symbolizes peace and tranquility, goldfish - wealth, peaches - longevity, vines and pumpkins - stability and long life. Cypress sprigs decorating a large tangerine wrapped in a pancake symbolize great success for many things. New Year's knots made of red threads on rings (panchan jie), known since the Tang Dynasty (618-907), are tied specifically as a symbol of a happy union and inextricable bond between a man and a woman.

The holiday itself opens with a ceremony of honoring Tsao-wan, the Guardian of the Hearth. For a year he protects the house with
by all his household, and on the 23rd or 24th day of the twelfth month he ascends to Heaven with a report to the heavenly ruler about all the deeds of his charges - both good and bad. Based on this report, the Jade Emperor issues prescriptions for happiness and misfortune for the next year.

Another ritual New Year's event is dedicated to the God of Wealth, Tsai-shen. The “gate to wealth” opens, and the participants, dressed in red robes and special hats, with artificial beards and jewelry, hold in their hands bundles of coins and a printed paper image of Tsai-shen. They shout outside the gate: “Come see off Grandfather Tsai-shen!” At this time, the owner of the house, expressing his respect to the God of wealth, distributes money people coming and says greetings: “Let gold, silver and jewels flow in a stream,” “Let there be a pair of golden lions on the left, and let there be a pair of golden phoenixes on the right.”
Traditional New Year's auspicious ornaments in the form of popular prints (nianhua) are “Heavenly official bestows happiness”, “Five grains rise abundantly”, “Prosperity of six domestic animals”, which call wealth, happiness, career and longevity to the home. Images of Wang Zhaojun and Yang Guifei are often given as gifts. Ban Xi and Lu Zhu - four beauties of antiquity. The most common New Year's plot is “The Rat Gets Married,” where the rat-groom, accompanied by a marriage procession, takes the rat-bride as his wife. IN New Year's Eve household members put treats under the bed for the rat bride to get a rich harvest for the next year, and grandmothers before going to bed tell the children: “Hide your shoes well, otherwise the rat will steal them and make himself a wedding palanquin,” which makes the children invariably laugh enthusiastically.

Another popular New Year's story is “Lyukhai playing with a toad.” According to legend, it attracts wealth and happiness to the house.

Like other peoples of the world, the Chinese have their own good and bad signs and omens. In an effort to protect themselves from life's misfortunes, people surround themselves with objects that are believed to bring happiness and try to avoid anything that could serve as a bad omen. Some words and expressions, numbers and objects have a subjective connotation of “good” or “bad”.

These beliefs still make themselves felt in some rules of etiquette and in artistic folk crafts. Knowledge of this kind of signs is necessary for a better understanding of traditional Chinese culture. Of the many items of a positive nature, the mythical image of a dragon comes first. While in some European countries The dragon is portrayed as an evil and ugly monster; according to the Chinese, it is a good creature, ready to come to the aid of people.

Tibetan tablet. Goddess on the Dragon.

His image was based on the dragon totem, which was considered the patron saint of the Chinese nation. To emphasize the dragon's status as a creature unsurpassed in power, the Chinese endowed it with features taken from a number of animals: the dragon has deer antlers, a horse's head, hare's eyes, a snake's neck, a belly lizard, eagle claws, tiger feet, mouse ears, and a body covered fish scales. The ancient Chinese attributed to the dragon the ability to fly through the sky and penetrate underground, control clouds and cause rain.

Therefore, since ancient times, people have erected idols and temples in honor of the dragon, where they prayed for rain and a good harvest. During the Han Dynasty, the image of the dragon, in particular the golden dragon, began to be used as a symbol of the emperor and imperial power. Subsequently, all Chinese emperors spoke of themselves as the embodiment of the dragon, or as a ruler who was protected by the dragon. Thus, they tried to rise above mere mortals and strengthen the authority of their power.

Statue of a lion guarding a tomb (Beijing).

All objects intended for use by the emperor began to be decorated with images of a dragon or corresponding ornaments. At the same time, it was strictly forbidden for anyone other than the emperor to use an ornament with a dragon to decorate clothes, chairs, etc.

But among the common people, the cult of the dragon as the personification of a good omen by no means disappeared; handicrafts and architectural buildings were decorated with its images, the dragon appeared in works oral folklore. People simply tried to ensure that in these cases the dragon took on a form and color that was different from the imperial dragon. The customs of arranging in holidays dragon boat races, dragon dances, etc.

Clay doll with the hieroglyph “happiness”.

The image of the dragon is still widely used to decorate artistic crafts. Of course, today the dragon has lost its totemic mystique and political overtones, but the symbolism has been preserved, according to which it is considered the personification of the Chinese nation; the Chinese like to call themselves “successors of the dragon.”

The elephant is a symbol of happiness.

Another mythical image, equal in importance to the dragon, is the phoenix bird. She is called the “king of birds.” According to legend, the phoenix, whose image combines the features of several birds and animals, chooses exclusively the paulownia tree for itself, drinks water only from sacred spring, feeds exclusively on bamboo shoots.

The Qianlong Emperor (r. 1736-1795) in ceremonial dress. Qing Dynasty.

She is credited with not only extraordinary beauty, but also a noble disposition. People say that with the arrival of the phoenix, peace and tranquility comes, and a philanthropic and highly moral ruler comes to power. In Ancient China, the phoenix, along with the dragon, served as a symbol of imperial power, but later, in the Ming and Qing eras, their roles were separated, and the phoenix began to be attributed to the personification of the feminine principle, that is, the empress herself.

During the Ming period, there was a law that required wives of officials of the 9th rank and above to wear a phoenix headdress. Among the people, the image of a phoenix was used to decorate bride's dowry items and women's clothing. Another mythical animal with which the Chinese associated well-being is the qilin. His images can be seen among the palace utensils. According to legend, the qilin appeared only in years when peace reigned in the state, a wise ruler ruled and the people prospered.

Therefore, the qilin enjoyed the special favor of the emperor. The people believed that if you pray to a qilin for the birth of an heir in the family, he can grant the request, but on the condition that the family of the person praying has good deeds to its credit. One of the traditional themes of popular prints is the qilin bringing a baby boy into the family. Ornaments with images of qilin were used to decorate objects associated with marriage, the birth of a child, as well as architectural structures.

The dragon, phoenix and qilin are among the four “sacred” animals, the fourth member of which is the turtle. The turtle, which is by no means a mythical creature, is distinguished by its enviable longevity and is considered almost the wisest representative of the animal world.

Mythical beast qilin.

The Chinese even believe that the turtle is able to foresee the future. It is not without reason that in ancient times turtle shells were used for fortune telling and fortune telling. It was for wisdom that the Chinese respected the tortoise. Her image became a symbol of high position on the hierarchical ladder. The gold seals of government departments during the Han period were decorated with an image of a turtle; during the Tang Dynasty, officials in the rank of 5th and above wore a pouch with a turtle design as an accessory.

Later image Turtles began to be used to decorate buildings; stone sculptures of huge turtles carrying a high stele on their back became most popular. Among the animals, the stone sculptures of which decorate palaces, temples, residential complexes and tombs, you can often see sculptures of lions. The lion - the “king of beasts”, an animal with a formidable disposition - according to the Chinese, was capable of driving away evil spirits.

The image of a lion was also used as a symbol of the influence and high position of the owner. IN folk dances a lion appears - a rather good-natured and comical animal; these dances are an indispensable element of mass celebrations. The tiger is another image that is respected among the Chinese. The tiger was also called the “king of beasts.” It served as a symbol of strength, courage and belligerence. Just like the lion, the tiger was credited with the ability to ward off evil spirits.

There was a custom to sew a cap and slippers for a newborn with an image of a tiger, which the child put on on the 100th day after birth. Thus, the parents wanted to protect the child from illness and damage and expressed their hope for his healthy growth. If a boy was born, then the tiger ornament was supposed to mean the wish to see his son strong and fearless. In the region of Central China, it is customary to place toy tiger cubs made from dough in the bride's dowry, thereby expressing the wish for the newlyweds to have a son.

The red-headed crane, which the Chinese call “sacred,” is the personification of longevity. In folk mythology, the crane is credited with the role of a bird on which celestial beings travel through the clouds. A favorite theme of the popular popular print is “pine trees and cranes,” expressing wishes for long life. In the decoration of palace buildings one can often see images of animal symbols: crane, turtle and deer, which, according to the Chinese, creates an atmosphere of prosperity.

Bronze figures of cranes are installed on both sides of the imperial throne in the Taihedian Pavilion in the Forbidden City in Beijing. The image of mandarin ducks, which naturally live in pairs, is used by the Chinese to personify harmony between lovers and marital fidelity. This image is present in the decoration of objects that surround the newlyweds.

Of the fish, the golden carp is used as a good symbol. The fact is that the pronunciation of the hieroglyph “fish” coincides with the pronunciation of the hieroglyph “prosperity”. Therefore, the image of a fish is used as a symbol of wealth and prosperity. In some places, it is customary to prepare a dish with golden carp for the New Year, thereby expressing a wish for wealth in the new year. Moreover, the image of a fish also means fertility, and newlyweds are often presented with a jade fish as a gift, wishing them to have numerous offspring.

The carp is also the character of a widely popular parable about brave carp who managed to overcome the Dragon Rapid on the Yellow River, characterized by the extraordinary strength of the current. According to the parable, every year in the third month, schools of carp rise upstream to the upper reaches of the Yellow River. Most of them die on the way, only a few manage to overcome the Dragon Threshold. Such daredevils themselves turn into dragons.

This parable is often remembered when it comes to applicants participating in exams for positions. A parallel is drawn between the content of the parable and the difficulties awaiting examinees on the path to a career. But a person who passes the exam with good results is equated to “a carp that jumped over the Dragon Threshold and turned into a dragon.”

The Chinese, who have a very developed cult of nature, endow plants with the ability to feel and, observing plants, in turn like to find in them similarities with human characters. Take, for example, the peony - its bright, lush double flowers suggest wealth and luxury. The peony is called the “state flower”, “king of flowers”, etc.

He personifies nobility and wealth. Pine (its image is often used in conjunction with the image of cypress) - an evergreen, frost-resistant tree - serves as the personification of perseverance and the ability to withstand difficult conditions. Since pine and cypress trees are distinguished by their longevity, pine-cypress groves were usually planted around the graves of emperors and nobles. The image of “four noble men”, blossoming plum, orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo, personify the noble qualities of man.

The flowering plum “may” is loved because it blooms earlier than other trees, when winter frosts are still present, and thus is a herald of spring. In addition, “mei” flowers, while emitting a pleasant aroma, at the same time do not strive to amaze the eye with external splendor. The orchid is remarkable because it grows in deep forest thickets, filling the air with a delicate aroma. Chrysanthemum blooms in late autumn and is resistant to frost, and this in the eyes of the Chinese means its proud, independent character.

In the eyes of the Chinese, bamboo represents modesty (the hieroglyph “modesty” sounds the same as the hieroglyph denoting a hollow stem of bamboo) and high morality (the hieroglyph “bamboo ring” has the same pronunciation as the hieroglyph denoting fidelity to moral principles). The four plant symbols mentioned are often used by poets and artists as an allegorical means of expressing their thoughts and approach to life.

Some fruits and vegetables also have symbolic meaning. Thus, pomegranate fruits, which contain a large number of seeds, serve as a symbol of fertility, and therefore family happiness. Therefore, pomegranate fruits are an attribute of wedding offerings. Peach serves as a symbol of longevity and happiness. According to legend, sacred peaches grew in the garden of the celestials, blooming once every 3 thousand years and bearing fruit after another 3 thousand years. Anyone who tasted such a peach was destined for immortality. Therefore, in popular prints and folk sculpture, a gray-haired centenarian, a flying fairy, and a holy baby are usually depicted with a peach in their hands as a symbol of longevity.

Those who want to understand the ideas of the ancient Chinese regarding good wishes will be interested in familiarizing themselves with the symbolism of the ornaments applied to household items. For example, on bronze vessels from the Shang-Zhou period you can see an ornament in the form of a monster with a human face. This is the mythical beast Taote, which, according to legend, was distinguished by its extraordinary gluttony. The purpose of painting this image on dishes was to warn people against gluttony and greed.

The custom of hanging popular prints and paper cuttings on New Year's Eve has become widespread among people. These works folk art They embody people’s desire for happiness and well-being like nothing else. Lubok paintings originated from icons depicting the gods of doors, which were hung on the doors in order to protect the house from evil spirits and misfortunes. In the Ming and Qing dynasties, people began to hang icons to pray for well-being. Nowadays, popular prints and paper cutouts are usually hung on New Year's Eve to decorate the room and create a festive atmosphere.

But in ancient times they were also hung for other reasons: a wedding, the birth of a child and his reaching a certain age, sacrifice to the gods, etc. The themes of popular popular prints are devoted either to the depiction of traditional objects that have a “blessed” meaning, or fragments from popular legends. For example, the theme of a good harvest and abundance, the theme of wishes for longevity and numerous offspring, the theme of family harmony and honoring parents, etc. Historical and legendary figures are depicted mostly for edifying purposes, they are set as an example to people.

It is customary to stick paper cutouts on windows. They are dedicated to such events as a wedding, the birth of a child, the anniversary of the birth of the head of the family, housewarming, etc. No paper clippings expressing good wishes, the bride's dowry is not included, and, as a rule, all the cuttings are made by the bride with her own hand, as well as the pouch intended as a gift to the groom, and other parts of the dowry. The theme of paper cuttings consists of patterns and hieroglyphs that have a special, “happy” meaning, and in this respect the cuttings are close to popular prints.

Sometimes the theme of the clippings is wishes to protect the house from harm, there are also simply decorative clippings and decorations. Paper cutouts are also used as a backing for embroidery patterns.

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China's civilizational autonomy is beyond doubt. Chinese culture is vast and beautiful. However, we know absolutely little about her. Firstly, the language barrier is difficult to overcome (students of Chinese will confirm how difficult it is to learn the required number of characters in order to read scientific and scientific literature fluently). fiction). Secondly, in order to understand Chinese specifics, it is necessary to move away from Eurocentricity (forgetting, for example, the West and the East - they are not to the right and left of Europe) - which is very difficult to do, because the study takes place primarily from the books of Russian and European authors. However, let's try to delve into the history and symbolism that emerged within the Chinese civilization.

Perhaps no other country in the world is as jealous of color as China. Hidden meaning black, red, yellow will follow you everywhere.

All the “ten thousand things” in nature have their own color. IN real life We meet a huge number of colors and their shades. As scientists have proven through analysis of the color spectrum, there are more than 10 million different colors in the world. But for the Chinese, the situation is much simpler: they believe that only five colors are basic, namely: black, red, blue, white and yellow. These colors are recognized as “pure” (open, unadulterated), and all the others are nothing more than various combinations of the mentioned basic colors, mixed in different quantities and proportions. The Chinese call these colors “mixed”. “Pure colors” signify fidelity to tradition, stability, constancy and nobility, while “mixed colors” are considered vulgar and even base. Thus, in ancient China, by the color of women's clothing, it was possible to determine which of the women was a wife and which was a concubine. According to the regulations, wives should wear clothes only of “pure colors,” and concubines were allowed to wear outfits of “mixed colors.”

Why do the Chinese highlight the five colors mentioned above? This is dictated by ideas about the structure of the universe.The symbolism of color should be viewed through the prism of the traditional system of five elements. Thus, the Chinese divided the world (and all its components) into five categories: wood, fire, metal, water and earth. Each of the elements was a symbol of life processes occurring both in man and in the universe. Colors are also part of this system.

Let's imagine for a second what surrounded China in ancient times.
On east — the endless forests of the valley of the lower reaches of the Yellow River. Element of the East - wood, color -blue-green . It corresponds to youth, spring, wind.
On south - hot sun, element of the south - fire, its color -red . This is the color of joy, happiness, summer.
On west - the highest mountain peaks in Asia. Metals were once mined in the foothills. Therefore, metal corresponds to the west. For Chinese for a long time the west was associated with danger - warlike tribes, the ancestors of the Tibetans, lived in the mountains, and nomads came from the west. And the cold snowy peaks determined the color -white . Cold winds blow from there, this is the color of mourning, autumn.
North associated with water andblack in color - there, to the north of Great Plain, unknown dark rivers flowed (it is no coincidence that in Chinese Amur sounds like Heilongjiang 黑 龙江 - Black Dragon River). The north also symbolized winter and the moon. But this is not the color of mourning - it is the color of hidden transformation (as nature rests in winter, but conceals a magnificent awakening and growth in spring). And that is why Chinese scientists wore black clothes.
And finally the center is China , corresponds to ityellow color. This connection is easily explained: the soils in China are loess, yellow in color (consisting of compressed tiny particles of sand brought by the wind from the deserts of Central Asia).

Yellow symbolizes the Center of the World, the Celestial Empire. Yellow is the designation of the element Earth, which has the properties of fertility, nutrition and transformation, because the seed thrown into the ground, before ripening, underwent changes in the process of growth. The center, the earth - these were manifestations of the “primordial”, subject to changes in the “circle of life transformations”. These properties extended to the color scheme. Pointing to the Celestial Empire and the earth, yellow signified stability, fertility, support, law, success and eternity, and was also associated with the imperial family. During the Qing Dynasty, only the emperor had the right to wear yellow clothes. Among the mythological characters corresponding to this color, we can name the Yellow (imperial) dragon with five claws (which indicates power over the whole world) and the Yellow Emperor Huang Di (the first ruler who united under his rule most China).


In feudal China, yellow was considered the most revered color, for which there are several explanations. According to one version, the Chinese belong to the Mongoloid race and have a yellowish skin tone, so the love of yellow is simply “in their blood.” According to another version, precisely because Chinese civilization arose in the basin of the river, which is called the Yellow River (Yellow River), this river is called the “mother” of all Chinese. In addition, the first proto-state in China formed in the Loess Plateau region, in the central part of the Yellow River basin, where the lands are highly fertile. After all, this river has regularly overflowed for thousands of years, leaving loess sediments and gradually forming an accumulative plain. The loess plateau is the cradle of the Chinese nation and at the same time an integral component of Chinese culture, and therefore the yellow color of fertile sediments is endowed with special meaning in the Celestial Empire.

For a long time in China, it was believed that only emperors or very noble persons had the right to wear yellow clothes and accessories. The color yellow symbolized noble origin and chosenness, which is why the emperor’s ceremonial clothes with the image of a dragon - the mythical progenitor of the Chinese nation, as well as imperial palace They were exactly yellow. During the Qing Dynasty (1636-1911), the emperor awarded yellow magua jackets (a jacket worn over a robe) as a badge of honor to officials who had significant merit. Among the people, yellow was valued and respected, as it is the color of gold. In this regard, many words and expressions related to the yellow (golden) color appeared in the language. For example, the Chinese endowed the word “golden” with a figurative meaning of “happy, favorable” and began to call those periods of development and life of the state that were characterized by stability and prosperity: “golden era”.

As such blue and cyan colors in color scheme The Chinese did not exist, they merged with the green. Blue-zgreen (qing) denoted the east, by its natural essence it represented the wind, and by its element it related to the element of wood. The properties of a tree are the ability to grow (transition from passive yin to active yang), and, consequently, with the birth of new life.



Divine character here are the Turquoise Dragon (Qinglong), who was a protector from evil spirits and was often depicted in benevolent pictures as a source of various riches. Blue color, on the one hand, is a symbol of Heaven (the Temple of Heaven was always covered with tiles the color of heavenly azure; the clothes of dignitaries who participated in the worship of heaven should have been the same color), but on the other hand, it was considered to bring misfortune. After all, the wind is fickle, although it can be humane and fair. The dragon also has wisdom and enormous power, but can, in addition to benefits, also bring destruction.


Blue is the most fickle color that can change at any time. Sometimes it “turns” into green - the color of Nature, full vital energy and strength, and sometimes into a blue-green or dark blue color (blue-black), and can turn into purple.

Red symbolized the south with the riot of life in all its manifestations, corresponding to the elements of fire (maximum vitality and activity) and the Sun. Fire and everything that is related to it are characterized by heat, heat, and upward desire. The mythological animal here is the Red Bird (Phoenix), meaning wisdom, beauty, auspiciousness, and the character is the Fiery Emperor Yan-di (Shen-Nun), who taught people to grow bread, and is a healer god by association that the sun is life. Therefore, in the most joyful moments of life, the Chinese preferred red clothes, for example, the bride and wedding paraphernalia were always red, conveying the vitality of the sun and fire. Such power scares away evil spirits and brings good luck to the house and harmonizes the overall atmosphere. The Chinese believed that if you wrap a red thread around a child’s hand, it will protect the baby from the evil eye.



Expression红火 (red fire) means that your life is developing like a red flame. And this is very good!火了 means "popular" and火爆 (fire and explosion) - a place with a lot of people or a book/film with action elements. Let us remind you that red is a traditional color for Chinese holidays and parties.
The Chinese consider red to be the color of celebration, celebrations, and weddings. In the minds of the Chinese, this color is a symbol of joy, beneficial signs, success and celebration. During the wedding ceremony, the bride, according to tradition, should be dressed in a red robe, and on the Spring Festival (New Year according to traditional Chinese calendar) the Chinese glue paired hieroglyphic inscriptions with good wishes written on red paper on the doors of houses, and hang red lanterns everywhere. When rewarding those who have distinguished themselves in study and work, the Chinese present red flowers.



When an enterprise or production, having achieved profits, pays dividends to its shareholders, this is called “sharing the red profits.” The color red represents enthusiasm, justice and symbolizes fullness of energy. If a person has a blush on his cheeks, then this person is healthy and cheerful. Chinese ideas about the color red, its meaning and the attitude of the Chinese towards it are perfectly reflected in such films of the famous Chinese film director Zhang Yimou as “Red Kaoliang” and “Light the Red Lanterns”.

White color personified the West - a place where chaos and death of living things reign. This color is contradictory: it called the natural essence - cold and the element - metal (a symbol of the beginning decline from yang to yin), and was associated simultaneously with treachery and purity. The animal of the West is the White Tiger (Baihu), which, on the one hand, is the ruler of the world that is destructive for humans, and on the other, the protector of people from evil forces and the guardian of the land of the dead. Therefore, the image of a white tiger is often a talisman, and therefore is often found on various decorative and household items.


White is a color associated with old age, autumn, withering, i.e. completion of the cycle and going beyond the edge of the world. That's why White color in clothing means mourning, and emphasizes the significance of objects as being associated with funerals.

Black color was the color of the north and was associated with something mysterious, although it carried a connotation of death (winter). The element for this color was water (as a minimal manifestation of activity, passive yin), which has the properties of fluidity, coolness, and the ability to move backward. Here the main character is the warrior Xuanwu, the “black turtle,” who is a symbiosis of a snake and a turtle, and is also identified with the mythical ruler Zhuan-xu, who put a separation (broke the connection) between earth and sky, which is why people stopped ascending to heaven.


Mystery is the destiny of scientists, the snake is wisdom, the turtle is longevity, water penetrates everywhere, remembers everything. From these images the definition of black color is formed - knowledge and learning, delving into the unknown.

Now, I hope our understanding of color in Chinese culture has become more expansive. In the second part, the symbolism of color will be revealed in everyday life.
And the tale of Chinese culture does not end, there are also ornaments, patterns and traditional costumes ahead of us.

Bibliography:
Color in China.

The symbolism of color is best viewed through the prism of the traditional system of the five elements, the five “movements” (wu xing). Generalizing and abstracting, the Chinese divided the world (and all its components) into five categories: wood, fire, metal, water and earth. Each of the elements was a symbol of life processes occurring both in man and in the universe. Colors are also part of this system.

Yellow (huang) symbolizes the Center of the World - China itself, the Celestial Empire. Yellow is the designation of the element Earth, which has the properties of fertility, nutrition and transformation, because the seed thrown into the ground, before ripening, underwent changes in the process of growth. The center, the earth - these were manifestations of the “primordial”, subject to changes in the “circle of life transformations”. These properties extended to the color scheme. Pointing to the Celestial Empire and the earth, yellow signified stability, fertility, support, law, success and eternity, and was also associated with the imperial family. During the Qing Dynasty, only the emperor had the right to wear yellow clothes. Among the mythological characters corresponding to this color, we can name the Yellow (imperial) dragon with five claws (which indicates power over the whole world) and the Yellow Emperor Huang Di (the first ruler who united most of China under his rule) and the god of the earth Hou- that. Yellow color also corresponds to the planet Saturn (Tianxing) and the constellation Ursa Major (due to the displacement of the Polar Star, beta Ursa Major is now located at the axis of the world).

As such, blue and light blue did not exist in the Chinese color scheme; they merged with green. Green (qing) denoted the east, in its natural essence represented the wind; according to its element it belonged to the element of wood. The properties of wood are the ability to grow (transition from passive yin to active yang), and, therefore, the color was associated with the birth of new life, with spring. The divine character here is the Turquoise Dragon (Qinglong), who was a protector from evil spirits and was often depicted in benevolent pictures as a source of various wealth, as well as the Blue (Green) Emperor Qingdi. The blue color, on the one hand, is a symbol of Heaven (the Temple of Heaven was always covered with tiles the color of heavenly azure; the clothes of dignitaries who participated in the worship of heaven should have been the same color), but on the other hand, it was considered to bring misfortune. After all, the wind is fickle, although it can be humane and fair. The dragon also has wisdom and enormous strength, but can, in addition to benefits, also bring destruction. Astrologically, this color is associated with Jupiter (Suixin) and the progenitor of people, the ruler of the East Fu-si, as well as the green spirit of the tree Gou-man, who controls the thunderer Lei-gun and the wind spirit Feng-bo.

Red (hun) symbolized the south with the riot of life in all its manifestations, corresponding to the elements of fire (maximum vitality and activity) and the Sun. Fire and everything that is related to it are characterized by heat, heat, and upward desire. The mythological animal here is the Red Bird (Chinyao, Phoenix), meaning wisdom, beauty, auspiciousness, and the character is the Fire Emperor Yan-di (Shen-Nun), who taught people to grow bread, and is a healing god by association that the sun is life. Therefore, in the most joyful moments of life, the Chinese preferred red clothes, for example, the bride and wedding paraphernalia were always red, conveying the vitality of the sun and fire. Such power scares away evil spirits and brings good luck to the house and harmonizes the overall atmosphere. The Chinese believed that if you wrap a red thread around a child’s hand, it will protect the baby from the evil eye. In astrology, the color corresponds to Mars (Inhosin) and the red fire spirit Zhu-rong.

White (bai) personified the West - a place where chaos and death of living things reign. This color is contradictory: it called the natural essence - cold and the element - metal (a symbol of the beginning decline from yang to yin), and was associated simultaneously with treachery and purity. The animal of the West is the White Tiger (Baihu), which, on the one hand, is the ruler of the world that is destructive for humans, and on the other, the protector of people from evil forces and the guardian of the land of the dead. Therefore, the image of a white tiger is often a talisman, and therefore is often found on various decorative and household items. White is a color associated with old age, autumn, withering, i.e. completion of the cycle and going beyond the edge of the world. Therefore, the color white in clothing signifies mourning, and emphasizes the meaning of objects as being associated with funerals. The color is astrologically associated with Venus (Taibai), as well as with the deity of the West - Shao-hao and his assistant - the white spirit Zhu-shou, as well as the ruler of the West, possessing the wonderful peaches of immortality, Sivanmu.

Black (hey) was the color of the north and was associated with something hidden and mysterious, although it carried a connotation of death (winter). The element for this color was water (as a minimal manifestation of activity, passive yin), which has the properties of fluidity, coolness, and the ability to move backward. Here the main character is the Secret Warrior (Xuanwu, “dark warlikeness” or another translation “black turtle”), which is a symbiosis of a snake and a turtle, and is also identified with the mythical ruler Zhuan-xu, who put a separation (broke the connection) between earth and sky, why people stopped going to heaven. Mystery is the destiny of scientists, the snake is wisdom, the turtle is longevity, water penetrates everywhere, remembers everything. From these images the definition of black color is formed - knowledge and learning, delving into the unknown. The black color (as well as the element of water) was also associated with the black spirit Xuan-ming, under whose patronage were the temples of the Moon, the lord of rain Yu-shi, as well as the planet Mercury (Chenxing).