While visiting the Summer Palace I remember seeing many paintings and designs of bats in the architecture of the Palace. Anyone know the significance of the bat designs. Apparently they were a positive or lucky symbol much different from the evil vampire bats of the west.
Bat designs in the Summer Palace
Started by
Guest_Kongmun_*
, Jul 05 2004 06:54 PM
5 replies to this topic
#2
General_Zhaoyun
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Posted 05 July 2004 - 10:56 PM
I'll try to check up on this .. got a book at home about summer palace.
"夫君子之行：靜以修身，儉以養德；非淡泊無以明志，非寧靜無以致遠。" - 諸葛亮
One should seek serenity to cultivate the body, thriftiness to cultivate the morals. If you are not simple and frugal, your ambition will not sparkle. If you are not calm and cool, you will not reach far. - Zhugeliang
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Kulong
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Posted 05 July 2004 - 10:59 PM
Bat and Luck have the same sound in Chinese 蝠 and 福 are both pronounced (fu)
生為中國人，死為中國魂。
"You can believe in any god, as long as it's our God."
"You can believe in any god, as long as it's our God."
#4
Guest_Kongmun_*
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Posted 09 July 2004 - 05:38 AM
Okay I found some information on the bat theme used in the Summer Palace's design. At the Summer Palace in the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity is a sandalwood screen with the character of longevity written in 226 styles and numerous bat designs. The bat symbolized happiness and longevity. The character for bat and the character for happiness have the same sound.
Supposedly Dowager Cixi received foreign dignitaries in this hall.
I was wondering if there were any legends associated with bats as a reason for its usage.
Supposedly Dowager Cixi received foreign dignitaries in this hall.
I was wondering if there were any legends associated with bats as a reason for its usage.
#5
Kangxi Wang
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Posted 23 June 2011 - 02:09 AM
for that reason you often see the character 福 at doors hanging upsidedown like bats.Bat and Luck have the same sound in Chinese 蝠 and 福 are both pronounced (fu)
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Mak Jo Si
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Posted 16 June 2012 - 07:53 PM
yeah people above are right, bats are called 蝙蝠 "pin fook" in Cantonese and the "fook" also sound like fortune 福 (fook) as well, so the superstitious guys used to use bats for meaning good luck or fortune. The upside down trick is commonly used meaning 倒 (upside down) and which is same sound as 到 (came).. and so it means "fook doe" 福到 fortune came here.
Seriously, many Chinese superstitious belief are very non-sense and not effective at all but it's brew up like a cultural thing and more of an art form. They don't work of course.. but it looks great at the ancient art perspective.
Seriously, many Chinese superstitious belief are very non-sense and not effective at all but it's brew up like a cultural thing and more of an art form. They don't work of course.. but it looks great at the ancient art perspective.
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