Long-tailed bird. To be differentiated from other birds in Chinese painting, such as peacock, phoenix, rooster, quail, magpie, sparrow, etc. Related Pun Rebus: May the country enjoy peace and good order permanently 长治久安
Pun Design: Quails + seedheads of foxtail millet Punning Details: The word ‘sui 穗’ for ‘millet seedhead’ is a pun on ‘sui 岁’ for ‘year’; the repetition of ‘sui’ means ‘year in year out’. The word ‘an 鹌’ in ‘an …
Continue reading “May you enjoy a peaceful life year after year”
Pun Design: Quails + Chrysanthemum Punning Details: The word ‘an 鹌’ in ‘an chun 鹌鹑’ for ‘quail’ makes a pun on ‘an 安’ for ‘peace’. The word ‘ju 菊’ in ‘ju hua 菊花’ for ‘chrysanthemum’ puns on the word ‘ju …
Continue reading “May you live in peace and leisure”
‘Da ji 大鸡’ for ‘large rooster’ makes a pun on ‘da ji 大吉’ for ‘tremendous good luck’. This image can be expressed as a good wish for someone who has just started a new business venture. Related motif: Rooster …
Continue reading “May you have tremendous luck in your new venture”
‘Shuang 双’ is the Chinese word for ‘two’. ‘Xiong 雄’ in ‘Xiong ji 雄鸡’ in the Chinese name for ‘rooster’ makes a pun on ‘xiong 雄’ for ‘hero’. Thus, the image of two roosters in confrontation is meant to represent …
Continue reading “Two heroes fighting with their intelligence”
‘San gong 三公’ are the ‘Three Top Lords in the Imperial Court’. The ‘gong 公’ from the Chinese name ‘gong ji 公鸡’ for ‘rooster’ puns on the Chinese name for ‘lord’ and three roosters in the picture represent the three …
Continue reading “May you rank among the three top civil servants”
The saying ‘jia guan 加官’ is an abbreviated form of the saying ‘guan shang jia guan 官上加官’: ‘Guan 冠’ in the Chinese name ‘ji guan hua 鸡冠花’ for ‘cockscomb’ is a pun on ‘guan 官’, which means ‘high-ranking official’. The …
Continue reading “May you get promoted”
‘Guan 冠’ in the Chinese name ‘ji guan hua 鸡冠花’ for ‘cockscomb’ is a pun on ‘guan 官’, which means ‘high-ranking official’. The crest on the head of a rooster is also called ‘guan 冠’ in Chinese. Thus, the appearance …
Continue reading “May you have repeated promotions”
‘Fu gui 富贵’ in ‘fu gui hua 富贵花’, literally, the ‘flower of wealth and prestige’, which is a nickname in Chinese for ‘peony’, contributes to ‘wealth and privilege’ in the saying. ‘Ji 鸡’ is a pun on ‘qi 期’, which …
Continue reading “May your wealth and privilege expectable”
The Chinese phrase ‘Gong ming 功名’ for ‘scholarly honour or official rank’ is a pun on two Chinese characters ‘gong 公’ and ‘ming 鸣’. ‘Gong 公’ from ‘gong ji 公鸡’, the Chinese name for ‘rooster’, makes pun on the Chinese …
Continue reading “May you do well in exams and enjoy wealth and prestige”
