May your jade palatial home be honoured and full of riches

玉堂富贵

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The character ‘yu 玉’ in ‘yulan hua 玉兰花’ for ‘magnolia’ is the same ‘yu 玉’ for ‘jade’. The word ‘tang 棠’ from ‘haitang hua 海棠花’ for ‘crabapple’ is homophonic with the word ‘tang 堂’ for ‘house’. The combination of the two characters ‘yutang 玉堂’ means ‘jade house’ with connotations of being grand and palatial.

The peony flower, known in Chinese as ‘mudan hua 牡丹花’, has a nickname of ‘fugui hua 富贵花’, literally, the ‘flower of wealth and prestige’.

Therefore, a composition of blooms of magnolia, crabapple, and peony can be used to convey the auspicious wish of ‘May your jade palatial home be honoured and full of riches!’

Related Pun Picture:

May your household be piled high with gold and jade 金玉满堂

Acknowledgement:

Fig 1-2: chair strip made of tapestry-woven (kesi) silk and metallic thread, 18^th century, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Accession Number: 65.210.1

Fig 3: copper vase with enamelled decoration, Kangxi period (1662–1722), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

Fig 4-6: porcelain bowl with enamelled decoration, Yongzheng period (1723–35), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

Fig 7: porcelain dish with enamelled decoration, Yongzheng period (1723–35), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

Fig 8-10: porcelain dish with overglaze enamelled decoration, Yongzheng period (1723–35), Qing dynasty, courtesy of Christie’s Auction House, New York, 2021

Fig 11: famille rose porcelain snuff-bottle, Qianlong period (1736–95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei

Fig 12: pink ground famille rose moonflask, Qianlong period (1736–95), Qing dynasty, courtesy of the Christie’s Auction House, Hong Kong, 8 Oct 2020, Lot 334

Fig 13: 玉堂富贵图, hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper, by Qi Baishi (齐白石 1864–1957), 1936, courtesy of National Art Museum of China

Fig 14: 玉堂富貴图, hanging scroll, ink and colour on paper, attributed to Xu Xi (徐熙 886–975), courtesy of the National Palace Museum, Taipei