Koi
The Chinese is obsessed with prosperity. Fame seems to be secondary to fortune in our books. Hence the Chinese New Year greeting, ???? (g?ngx?f?cái). Another icon of prosperity is the Carp, or popularly called koi or ? (l?), which not surprisingly features prominently in the decorations for Chinese New Year. Here’s an example:
A lantern with carp motifs
According to one account, Koi were brought to China from Persia:
It is said that King Shoko of Ro had presented a Koi to the first son of the great Chinese Philosopher Confucius at his birth somewhere between 551 and 479 BC. Confucius named his son (Kong Li, ??) after the fish because it was considered to be a symbol of strength and power. Legend has it that this Koi was the only fish able to swim up the Yellow River falls. Records dating back to this time suggest that these early koi were made up of basically a red and gray coloration.
Confucius
From here our story moves to Japan, where the Koi were introduced by the invading Chinese somewhere near 200 AD. They have been raised primarily for food in Japan until fish farmers started to notice color mutations somewhere in the beginning of the 18th century. The farmers of Niigata, a Northern prefecture of Japan, were fascinated by these fish and would catch and remove the fish from their food ponds and isolated them. Soon they were breeding the mutations for color and conformation and the koi industry had begun. To this day the Niigata region is the center of the worlds finest koi breeding.
However, there is some doubt about the accuracy of the above account, which might have arisen from the misinterpretation of the name “Lu Zhaogong” to Ro Shoko by the Japanese.
The common carp, Cyprinus carpio, was initially bred for food but later it’s beauty was noted and they were kept for ornamental reasons. The name “koi” originated from the Japanese for “carp”. The name for carp kept for its beauty is “Nishikigoi” (??). A homonym of koi means ‘love, affection’ and koi are therefore symbols of love and friendship in Japan.
Also, the koi is associated with perserverance in adversity and strength of purpose. Because of its strength and determination to overcome obstacles, it stands for courage and the ability to attain high goals. There is a Chinese legend that a carp which succeeds in swimming upstream and hurdling the upper rapids of the Yellow River, called the Dragon’s Gate, will be transformed into a dragon. There is a Chinese idiom, ????? (l?yú tiào lóngmén), literally “the carp leaps up to Dragon’s Gate”, which expresses the idea of a sudden improvement in one’s status.
The point where the narrow river meets the broad segment of the Huang He, there’s a stretch of 100-metre wide fall. Imagine the koi leaping up the waterfalls.
Why are kois painted in odd numbers, particularly 9? Nine koi symbolise longevity. Also, odd numbers represent the “yang” element. Since water is a “yin” element, an odd number of fish will complement it.
Nine carps in a Chinese painting.
And finally, what has koi got to do with prosperity? It’s fish. The Chinese word for fish is ? (yú), which sounds like ? (yú), meaning, surplus. So fish is a symbol of overflowing blessings. As they say… ????.
Icthyos.
References:
1. http://www.butterflykoi.com/aboutkoi.html
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koi
3. http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_symbolism_of_koi_fish
4. http://www.huaxia.com/ly/shls/he/hh/lytlm.html
5. http://www.geomancy.net/resources/art/arowanafish.htm
One day, I would love to have an ornamental Koi pond around my house…. The tranquility, and the sense of calm, and the sound of water… and of course, the fook involved in it all… Yes, a Koi pond! On the WISHLIST right away!
Year Year Got Fish..
Abuthen, I wonder what will be the response if I wish someone with this greeting.. “Wishing U A Fishy Year” instead of the norm “Gong Xi Fatt Cai”? Should I try this out this year? hahhahaha
I must get my son to read this post, very informational, I oso din know all dis. But first next time before he come over I must check first, sekali he tengok your intestine picture, nanti pengsan but then again hmmmm maybe might inspire him to be lokter, maybe try to “psycho” him a bit toward that direction, right now he want to be singer, cham liao lah lidat.
LB, Italians like carp too right? For food? oh… F O O K …
Chen, Have a Fishy Year!!
FireHorse, I oso din know before I wrote this… hehe.
Joseph also wants to be a rock star. Earn more than a lokter worr. Aiks… note: read the first line of this post.
Ahh! I finally get my answer why there must be 9 koi’s in a painting
Very nicely written. Very enlightening. Thanks.
happpy chinese new year! you’re really in THE mood this year, yah?
Jaclyn, yup… my sentiments exactly.
jonzz, no problemo.
JT, Happy Chinese New Year!!
Woww.. the “J” community. See above…
I knew this would be good! I too want to have a koi pond. There are easy to take care right?
Bernard, another great research. Is researching your hobby or did you actually wanted to be a researcher?
I tell you ok, when my dad built his so called ‘house of his dreams’ in 1970, he got the architect to include a koi pool (not a pond) with a bridge over the pool. We had many koi’s in there.
Reading this article brought back a bit of sad memory. Long story.
Anyway, this is a great research story. Thank you.
George, “easy” is relative… I doubt it’s that easy to me.
Judy, aiyoo.. sorry about the memories. I hope they heal.
Well, the research is just harnessing the power of the net.. waitaminute.. rather, it’s the power of google.
Thanks again for the information.
So many things I had forgotten.
I may be wrong, but more and more Koi painting come with only eight koi.
Wah… very good research wor. Happy Chinese New Year ah!
Happy Valentine’s Day :o)
yenjai, I read that there are paintings with 8 also.. but whether that is a trend nowadays, i’m not too sure.
Kenny, ppl like me have to do research lo.
FH, Happy Valentine’s Day!!
Thanks for sharing this facts. Now it’s all comes much clearer to my mind: The Carps, the Dragon, and the old sayings.
=^.^=
btw. I’m sorry I have not been able to give your comment to my last weeks Photohunt a proper answer. I have posted the reason in my blog today.
TorAa, it looks like you’ve got an interest in Oriental culture.. Do drop by.
Great research!! Very enlightening! Very impressive!!!!
CSH, thanks. I enjoyed it.