The Paper cutting of the Fish leaping over the Dragon Gate
Carps have always been regarded as auspicious animals in Chinese folklore. In a large number of traditional New Year pictures and Paper Cuttings works, we can see the image of carp, which is in the traditional Chinese folk culture. In folklore, folk stories, folk New Year paintings, and folk literature, carp is symbolically represented as a male in the human world, especially in folk New Year paintings where there are metaphorical expressions. New Year's paintings are visual works. If they express family life and beautiful wishes, physical expression is difficult to express, lacks artistic value, and is not aesthetically pleasing. Taking carp as a symbol of men, through the visualization and poetic expression of carp, the abstract aesthetic has reached a high level, and the artistic value is also strong.
Why use carp instead of other animal images? Because there are dragons in the sky and fish in the water. Dragonfish is relative. Everyone knows that the dragon is a mythical animal in China that represents good luck and carries beautiful wishes, but it does not exist in reality. But how can this shore world be connected to the other shore world? Expressing through the image of a fish.
Why use carp instead of other fish? This is because carp is a common fish in our folk culture, with a beautiful body. The key is the story of "carp jumping over the dragon gate", which embodies the dreams of many people to achieve great success and represents blessings for beauty and fame.
The story of carp jumping over the dragon gate is well-known to everyone, including women and children. In New Year pictures or Paper Cuttings, there is a cloud dragon in the sky and a carp in the water. A dragon with a dragon head and a fish body, and a carp leaping over the dragon gate, symbolize success in the imperial examination, fame and fortune, soaring to great heights, achieving success in the imperial examination, and a smooth career path. It is natural for carp to be given so many auspicious meanings and become a symbol of male image.
In addition, carp is also a symbol of prosperity and abundance, symbolizing surplus every year.
Especially since the Ming and Qing dynasties, due to the homophonic sound between "fish" and "surplus", people often post New Year paintings of "surplus every year" and "abundance surplus" during the Spring Festival.
In the Jiangnan region, there is a custom of giving carp as a gift to relatives and friends, in order to seek a good fortune of "surplus every year". Carp has many symbolic meanings in traditional Chinese culture. Carp culture has undergone changes, integration, and evolution, finally forming an important part of Chinese traditional culture. The traditional Chinese carp culture carries the cultural connotation of national traditional concepts and radiates brilliant light in the material and spiritual lives of the people.
Hualong is the dream of carp. The carp fearlessly jumps over the dragon gate with unwavering determination, conveying the author's praise for persisting in dreams and constantly striving for them. I also hope that those who strive for their dreams can achieve them soon.