Meanings in Asian Culture

8/12/2019 Meanings in Asian Culture

1/14

MEANINGS IN ASIAN CULTURE

Turtle:Longevity, Fortune-telling AbilityWhile the drgon !" #on"idered the ruler o$ ll ni%l", the turtle ruled over the in"e#t"&'e#u"e turtle" live longer thn other ni%l", they "y%boli(e longevity& )eo*le believed

tht turtle" hd the *o!er to *redi#t the $uture& Fortune teller" u"ed the "h*e o$ turtle+""hell to $ore#"t the $uture& Turtle i%ge" o$ten $or% the b"e o$ "tele" or %onu%ent" to

$%ou" *eo*le, e"*e#illy 'uddhi"% %on"&

Tiger:Co%%nding ignity nd Sternne"", Courge nd Fier#ene"")eo*le looed t tiger" !ith t!o di$$erent *er"*e#tive"& They !ere "een " brve, digni$ied,

#ruel, nd greedy on one hnd, yet l"o re"*e#ted " "y%bol o$ good lu# nd *rote#tion

$ro% di"e"e& Tiger" in dre%" re*re"ented "ign to te *ubli# *o"ition& Thee%broidered bre"t *t#he" on the #ourt ttire o$ %ilitry o$$i#il" in#luded tiger" nd

leo*rd", both "y%bol" o$ vlor nd #ourge&
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Sunc454.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri181.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Taegu/Mangwoo18.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Taegu/Mangwoo19.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Postcard/Pictures/sel0205a.jpg


2/14


3/14

#rete bby& They 9u"t drin $or 3844 yer" but not et& It i" ing o$ bird" nd !i(rd-

lie un!orldly %n ride" on it&7

Mny A"in" believed tht tho"e !ho lived live" o$ lo$ty "olitudebe#%e #rne" !hen they died& A #o%%on *hr"e "tted, 7A" red-

#re"ted !hite #rne live" thou"nd" o$ yer", *ine tree doe" 34

thou"nd o$ yer"7& So #rne" !ere o$ten *inted !ith *ine tree" to"y%boli(ed longevity& Along !ith #loud", #rne" #n be $ound in %ny

*l#e"6 r#hite#ture, #lothing, "ttionry, nd vriety o$ other $inely

#r$ted ob9e#t"&

Rooster:Intelligen#e 0mun2, )tien#e 0in2, Tru"t 0shin2, S#ien#e o$ Wr 0mu2, 'rvery0yong2

)eo*le believed roo"ter" ne! ti%e !ell nd #on"idered the% "y%bol o$ ho*e$ul

beginning" nd good o%en"& It !" "id tht !hen the #hi#en %de "ound, ll evil "*irit"

di"**ered& The #hr#teri"ti# o$ intelligen#e !" ttributed to the roo"ter+" #re"t& When itet", it "hre" it" $ood !ith other", "ho!ing *tien#e& A roo"ter "ty" !e ll night nd

#rie" t #ertin ti%e every %orning, giving n i%*re""ion o$ tru"t& It" "hr* toenilre*re"ent" the "#ien#e o$ !r, nd it" #ontinuing to $ight until deth !" #o%*red !ith

brvery&

Peacock:: ;irtue", AuthorityAn old Chine"e boo 0yeokgyeong2, "#ribed : virtue" to *e#o#"&

They hve tidy $#e, #ler voi#e, #re$ul !l, **ro*rite

behvior ##ording to *l#e nd ti%e, %odertion in eting nddrining, no!ing ho! to be #ontent, e/i"ting together, not being

ob"#ene, nd l!y" returning& )eo*le loved the"e virtue" "o they

!ould *int *e#o#" on building" nd other ite%"& )e#o#" !ere
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/jiri264.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok060.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok061.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Toksu227.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Toksu226.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Toksu237.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok091.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok088.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok128.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Toksu223.jpg


4/14


5/14

$%ou" *inting relted to %g*ie i" the one !ith "tri*ed tiger 0ggach'i wha horangi

minhwa26 the %g*ie i" h**ily #hir*ing to tiger& The %g*ie re*re"ented good ne!" nd

the tiger "y%boli(ed good lu#, "in#e it" *ronun#ition in Chine"e "ound" "i%ilr to goodlu# 0bok2&

nsects

Butter!ly:Free Love, .**ine""uring the "*ring, the butter$ly !" n ob9e#t o$ envy %ong young %en nd !o%en&'utter$lie" !ere $ree nd #re$ree to loo $or their %te", unlie the rrnged %rrige" in

Con$u#in "o#iety& To *eo*le they "y%boli(ed $ree love nd h**ine""&

Cicada:Noble Mindedne""A" #i#d" lived in tree, eting nd drining $re"h ir nd de!, they !ere treted "

being !ith noble %indedne""& They trn"$or%ed the%"elve" into %ny di$$erent "h*e","o%ething tht !" vie!ed " i%%ortlity nd revivl&

Carp:Sel$-%de Mn, Re*rodu#tionA gte #lledDeungyong-mun!" !here *er"on !ho *""ed the #ivil "ervi#e e/% hd

the honor o$ $#ing the ing& The legend o$ the gte very #lo"ely relted to #r*6 7Every"*ring, #r*" !ere "!i%%ing gin"t the "trong "tre% round the *l#e n%edyongmun,

nd the one !hi#h !" "u##e""$ul to go u* gin"t it turned into drgon&7 '"ed on thi"

#onte/t, *eo*le #o%*red the "#holr 0!ho *""ed the e/% nd %de "o%ething o$hi%"el$ gin"t ll di$$i#ultie"2 to #r* tht !" trn"$or%ed into drgon& Additionlly,

!hen #r* give" birth, it ly" thou"nd" o$ egg", "o *eo*le ""o#ite it !ith re*rodu#tion&

"aginary #ni"als

- In ddition to rel ni%l", i%ginry be"t" l"o *ly n i%*ortnt role in 1oren

"y%boli"%&

$our GuardiansA##ording to n old boo 0I-h2 > %on"trou" ni%l" gurded the $our dire#tion" o$ the!orld& A drgon #lled Cheong-nyonggurded the E"t , tiger #lledBaek-ho$or the

We"t, bird #lledJu-jakto the South, nd turtle #lledHyeon-mu$or the North&
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Eunhyon095.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/kyongju/kjuy020.jpg


6/14


7/14

Bron'e Caldron (ch'eongdongsot'): )o!er, Authority'ron(e #ldron" !ere u"ed during religiou" nd ntionl #ere%onie", "y%boli(ing

uthority, nobility, nd b"ene""& It i" "till treted " "y%bol o$ *o!er nd uthority& The

*ttern i" #o%%on on 1oren !rdrobe" or bureu" even tody&

Traditional Currency (yeopcheon): Good ?%en, E/*elling Evil S*irit"Regrdle"" o$ *o"ition, *eo*le tend to tret %oney " the %o"t *re#iou" ob9e#t in theirlive"& In the *"t, *eo*le !ould in"#ribe u"*i#iou" !ord" on %oney& For e/%*le,

sangp'yung t'ongbo0u"ed during the Cho"un yn"ty2 !" "o n%ed be#u"e it hd the

!ord"sangp'yung0%ening l!y" in *e#e2 on it& Additionlly, the 1oren #u"to% o$giving %oney to their #hildren on the l"t dy o$ the yer to e/*el bd gho"t" #%e $ro%

the belie$ tht %oney h" the *o!er to re*el gho"t" nd evil "*irit"&

* Marks (p'al kwai):Truth" o$ Li$e nd NtureThe @ %r" #o%e $ro% the Chine"e 1ing n%edBokhee& A##ording to

legend, he #reted @ %r" $ter ob"erving the nture o$ "y, geogr*hy,

nd nturl l!"& The"e @ %r" !ere geo%etri# "y%bol" tht !erebelieved to e/*lin ll nturl *heno%en nd "h*e"& )eo*le thought

the @ %r" #ontined ll the truth" o$ hu%n li$e nd nture& 'y

$ollo!ing order" nd rule" o$ nture in their live", *eo*le+" "u##e""e"

nd $ilure, h**ine"" nd bd lu# #ould be ##orded !ith nture+"

truth& T'aegukki+hape ,a"e +y"olis" ,ature #ni"al Body $a"ily

Keonkwai )o"itive, "trong Sy .or"e .ed Fther

T'aekwai Negtive )ond Shee* Mouth ounge"t dughter

Ikwai Negtive Fire )he"nt Eye Middle dughter

Jinkwai )o"itive Thunder rgon Foot ?lde"t "on

onkwai Negtive Wind Chi#en Leg ?lde"t dughter

Kamkwai )o"itive Wter )ig Er Middle "on

Kankwai )o"itive Mountin og .nd ounge"t "on

Konkwai Negtive, So$t Erth Co! Sto%#h Mother

Clouds: The Mediu% to A"#end to .evenIn the *"t, *eo*le believed tht !hen they ##u%ulted

enough good deed" in thi" !orld, they rode #loud" to
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Information/general.cfm#Flaghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/palgong/pgs329.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok038.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok015.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok014.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Information/general.cfm#Flag


8/14

"y, nd be#%e hu%n 'uddh in the ne/t !orld& Sh*e" o$ #loud #n be $ound on the

%url" in n#ient to%b"&

The $our ,ole Plants (.apanese #pricot Tree/ 0rchid/ Chrysanthe"u"/ and

Ba"oo2

B*ne"e

A*ri#ot Tree

?r#hid Chry"nthe%u% '%boo

.apanese #pricot Tree:)urity, Integrity, LongevityThe *ri#ot tree bloo%" in erly "*ring, delivering #len $rgrn#e nd gr#iou" $eture,

%ing it no!n $or *urity nd integrity& It" #hr#teri"ti#" to "urvive nd bloo% during#old !ether !ere #o%*red !ith the u**er #l"" o$ hu%n"& Although it loo" ded

during the !inter, it bloo%" the ne/t "*ring, %ing it "y%bol $or longevity&

0rchid:Good Nture

The $rgrn#e o$ the or#hid !" u"ully #o%*red to the beuti$ul nd good nture o$hu%n being" tht #ould in$luen#e other *eo*le&

Chrysanthe"u":Elegn#e, .igh FidelityA *oet n%ed o eon-Myung de"erted hi" o$$i#il *o"t nd returned to hi" ho%eto!n

!hen the ing !" re*l#ed during revolt& A$ter tht ti%e he lived by ri"ing *ine tree"nd #hry"nthe%u%& The Chry"nthe%u% be#%e ""o#ited !ith elegn#e nd high

$idelity&
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri273.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri270.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok113.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok103.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok122.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok121.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri070.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri069.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri068.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri067.jpg


9/14

Ba"oo:Elegn#e, Fidelity, E/*elling Gho"t" nd 'd Lu#'%boo i" "trong nd $le/ible, even though it i" e%*ty in"ide& It" #olor" never #hnge

throughout the yer, "o it re*re"ent" the elegnt #l"" o$ %n "ho!ing virtue nd $idelity&

A##ording to legend, huge gho"t lived dee* in %ountin nd lo#l villger" #ught "eriou" di"e"e !hen they en#ountered it& ?ne *er"on !" "o $rid o$ it tht he burned

b%boo every %orning nd night& The noi"e tht the b%boo %de in the $ire !" big

enough to "#re the gho"t !y& The #u"to% o$ doing $ire #r#ing t the end o$ yeroriginted thi" !y& '%boo #%e to "y%boli(e e/or#i"ing gho"t" nd bd lu#&

1otus:Livbility, Re*rodu#tionThe lotu" h" been loved " "y%bol o$ the #retion o$ li$e nd

*ro"*erity& Even though it gro!" in %uddy nd dirty !ter, it"

beuty i" not trni"hed& The #hr#teri"ti#" o$ lotu" $lo!er" !ere#o%*red !ith the hone"t *overty o$ %n o$ virtue nd loo$ne""

in both 'uddhi"t nd Con$u#in te#hing"& The"e %ening" !ere

integrted !ith the !orldly !i"h to turn thing" bene$i#il to their o!n live" nd e/tended

it" u"ge to *rivte *inting" or *ttern" $or dily li$e&

Another #hr#teri"ti# o$ lotu" *lnt" i" tht they *rodu#e $lo!er" nd

$ruit" t the "%e ti%e, unlie other *lnt" tht ber $ruit" only $ter

their $lo!er" bloo%& Thi" "y%boli(e" hving o$$"*ring #on"e#utively&?ther ""o#ited %ening" in#luded %le" nd $e%le", good o%en",

h**ine"", nd h**y #ou*le !hen *re"ented !ith %ndrin du#"&When "ho!n !ith $i"h, it "y%boli(ed %teril $$luen#e nd %entl lei"ure& A "#ene o$

#hildren *lying in lotu" *t#h or #hild !ith lotu" $lo!er delivered the %ening o$

the birth o$ *re#iou" #hild&
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/kyongju/kjuy009.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri266.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok108.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok097.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/pictures/Sel0615a.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Deoksu018.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Deoksu003.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok134.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/pictures/sel604a.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/pictures/sel0617a.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/pictures/Sel0616a.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok117.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok116.jpg


10/14

Indongch'o:Endurn#e, ContinuityIndong#h+o i" vine ob"erved in %ountinou" re" o$ 1ore nd Chin& It "y%boli(edendurn#e nd #ontinuity "in#e it not only endure" the "evere #old o$ !inter, but l"o

be#u"e it" vine" "ee% to re#h out !ithout end&

Pine Tree:Longevity)ine tree" !ere reno!ned $or #hr#teri"ti#"6 integrity,

un!orldline"", nd longevity& .o!ever, the *ine tree h" been%o"t *o*ulr " re*re"enttive ob9e#t o$ longevity !ith other

"y%bol", e"*e#illy #rne", deer, nd ro#"&

Peony:'euty, )ro"*erity,.**ine""uring the T+ng er in Chin, it "y%boli(ed beuty, *ro"*erity, nd h**ine""& In the

Song er, it #


11/14


12/14

in 'uddhi"% !" e/*e#ted to re#h Nirvn !ith #ontinuou" e$$ort lie $i"h& A !ood

blo# !ith the "h*e o$ $i"h i" l"o %de !ith thi" yerning nd "y%boli"%&

1otus: Cretion, 'irthA 'uddhi"t "tory tell" tht the lotu" #%e $ro% the nvl o$ God !ho "le*t under !ter#lled #on$u"ion& For thi" re"on it "y%boli(e" birth nd #retion&

Pu3ok: Good Lu#, )rote#tionThi" ty*e o$ tli"%n #o%e" in ty*e"6 one #t" " good

lu# #hr%, nd the other !or" to *rote#t $ro% evil or bdlu#& It #o%%only hd yello! b#ground !ith red "y%bol"

or #hr#ter"& )eo*le $elt tht evil "*irit" di"lied the #olor" o$

gold nd yello!& Red re*re"ented blood or $ire, nd

*"y#hologi#lly it %ent the #olor o$ li$e nd e%otion& )eo*lett#hed thepujokto their body or drn it" "he" $ter it !"

burnt& So%eti%e", it !" *ut on !ll or u**er *rt o$ door to *rote#t hou"e or *rt o$

building& Good lu# one" re #rried on one" *er"on t ll ti%e"& Apujok#n be#u"to%i(ed $or "*e#i$i# il%ent or #ir#u%"tn#e or generi# one" #n be u"ed $or generl

*ur*o"e"& They #n be *ur#h"ed $ro% "h%n" or "o%e 'uddhi"t %on"&
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Graphics/Bujuk4.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Graphics/Bujuk3.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Graphics/Bujuk1.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Graphics/Bujuk2.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Graphics/Bujok.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri034.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Kyonbok072.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Postcard/Pictures/lotus.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Seoul/Llf300.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Kyongju/kyju113.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Kyongju/kyju514.jpg


13/14


14/14

4eonh2an Patterns: Continuou" Lu#Thi" %en" tht good $ortune" re #ontinuou"ly h**ening, one o$ the be"t o%en"&

So%eti%e" it "y%boli(e" *er$e#tion nd endurn#e&
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/pictures/sel0416.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Jiri264.jpghttp://www.lifeinkorea.com/Images/Buddhism/Chiri573.jpg

Documents

Meanings in Asian Culture