butterfly
Maya Angelou | we delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty
butterflies are often seen as beautiful creatures emerging through hardships and challenges not knowing what the future holds as they undergo metamorphosis, symbolising change, endurance, hope, and life
Japan | the grace and airy lightness of the butterfly has associations with women and femininity… their beautifully patterned wings have long been celebrated in Japanese painting and folkcrafts
Peranakan | a pair of butterflies found on batik sarung carries the meaning of marital happiness and as fertility symbols when found on auspicious ornamental bed hangings
bird
Ivan Pavlov | perfect as the wing of a bird may be, it will never enable the bird to fly if unsupported by the air
generally symbolising freedom as they can walk on earth, swim in the sea, and soar in the sky
Peranakan | birds ability to fly is often used to symbolised the links between heaven and earth, and has also been used to represent spiritual states
crane
Buddha | if you want to fly, give up everything that weighs you down
crane represents eternal youth, freedom, good fortune, happiness, intelligence, long-lasting marriage, longevity, and maternal love
origami crane is famous as a symbol of hope and peace – it is said that if you make a thousand cranes, your prayers will be answered
Japan | it represents longevity, where its white feathers stand for purity, while its red head is believed to show the stamina of its life force… its annual return from migration was seen as a symbol of regeneration and it is often shown with plum blossom as a sign of spring
Peranakan | it represents status and longevity; crane and lotus together represent a wish for peace and harmony
Taoism | the crane is a symbol of immortality
dove
at the 1950 World Peace Congress, Picasso made a brief speech recounting how his father taught him to paint doves, which he then concluded “I stand for life against death, I stand for peace against war” (Quoted in Penrose and Golding 1973, p.205.)
dove represents peace of the deepest kind, tranquillity, harmony, affection, and innocence
lantern
Nichiren | if you light a lantern for another, it will also brighten you own way
in ancient times, lanterns represents a status symbol, and also a worship of the Buddha
lily
Claude Monet | water lilies is an extension of my life… without the water, the lilies cannot live, as I am without art
lily represents purity and beauty
phoenix
Mark Twain | the two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why
phoenix is seen as the king of all birds and is often a symbol of virtue and grace
the five colours of a phoenix’s feathers stand for the five cardinal virtues of righteousness, propriety, wisdom, humanity, and sincerity
Peranakan | when the dragon and phoenix are shown together, especially in the bedroom, they celebrate the union of a man and woman, where the dragon signifies the groom and the phoenix signifies the bride
rabbit
Confucius | the man who chases two rabbits, catches neither
rabbit represents fertility, hope, prosperity, love, comfort, and imagination
tortoise
Plato | never discourage anyone who continually makes progress no matter how slow
tortoise represents creation, immortality, knowledge, luck, wealth, and wisdom
Japan | Japanese people have a saying “cranes live 1 000 years; tortoises live 10 000 “ … Together, the crane and tortoise symbolise a long life, as well as a happy union between husband and wife
Peranakan | tortoises symbolises longevity since they are believed to live for 10,000 years
tulip
James Montogomery | the tulip’s petals shine in dew, all beautiful, but none alike
tulip represents perfect love, and sunshine
