Brief Talk to the Symbolic Meaning Of Fish in Chinese Traditional Culture

张跃

【Abstract】Fish， a kind of animal， takes up important position in Chinese traditional culture. It has many implied meanings and represents various symbols in Chinese traditional works and custom.

【Key words】Fish； Symbolic meaning； Chinese traditional culture

1. Introduction

Hundreds of thousands of years ago， Chinese take fish as the object of hunting and during the long history of China， fish was constantly given the cultural connotation. At last， it formed the Fish culture.， No matter in ancient times or in modern times， no matter in Chinese traditional culture or in Chinese Folk Art， it always has a close relationship with Chineses . And its status in Chinese is becoming more and more resourceful and important.

2. Fish Culture in Book of Songs

There are about more than thirty places where the character “fish” and the names of fish are mentioned in the Book of Songs and there are twelve names given to the fish.And in the Book of Songs， the technique of expression like actual narration， metaphor and symbolization are used to praise fish.From this point， we can see people in ancient times attached importance to fish.

In the times of the Book of Songs， Fish Culture has a great influence to the peoples life .And it mainly expressed in such aspects：

（1） Used in offer sacrifices to gods or ancestors.There are many poems like “Qian” were written that using fish for ancestral temple.People believed that lives can be alive even they died and fish has the special religious meaning.

（2） Used for symbolizing.The sentences in Book of Songs which used to introduce the mood always have the function on symbolization.Like poem “Yu Zao ”， “魚在在藻，有颁其首。王在在镐，岂乐饮酒。”In this sentence， it describes a picture that fish survived by eating and live in a leisure situation， to symbolize that the king is fatuous without doing nothing in politics.

Used for decorating.In Book of Songs， many poems described that many parts of fish were for decoration.Such as dorlach which made of fishs skin， etc. Fish culture was popular that time.

3. Fish Culture in Chinese customs

In Chinese traditional customs， we can see the trace of fish or fish culture everywhere.In the traditional new year pictures， there are many pictures of fish， like a starkers baby embracing which a fish or riding on a fish， etc. And in many places， if you dont use fish when sacrificing， it will be regarded as the disrespect to god.Whats more， the custom of eating fish at new year eve dinner is regulated.But you cant eat them at all or just put them at the table without eating， because it has special meaning：”Five flavored fish” means “Year by year enough”. The auspicious meaning fish represented in Chinese traditional customs can be inspected from the view of historical background.

The ways of making a living of primitive people and the admiration to the God-our-fish makes fish become the symbol of bumper harvest and prosperity.The fundamental principle for primitive to choose their living environment is close to river or water， which lead to hunting fish must be the way to make a living. Compared to other species， fish is resourceful and after a long period of time， fish culture takes up an important part in their life. “美万物盛多。但言鱼者， 在下动物之多莫如鱼也。”in Fan Jiaxiangs “Shi Shen” also improves that its meaning of rich.

4. Conclusion

Fish culture has become an inseparable part in our life and influence us deeply. The fish represents good qualities of common Chinese people—diligent， brave， wisdom， kind， upright and so on.

No matter in which area， it always has a good meaning.We want a better implied meaning through symbolizing fish. Fish culture has totally integrated into our life， in our history.It gives us a new and comprehensive view to realize history， to know the development of 5， 000 years of China. Fish culture gathers dense cultural ambience and ethnic chic which shows us unique picture of aesthetic value and the value of religion.It has transformed into a concept that enters into peoples heart， to express peoples emotions and ideals， to expect for dressing warmly and eat ones fill， to long for sweet marriage and love.Fish existed in our history and will exists forever.

參考文献：

[1]曹书华.中国鱼文化[J].语文学刊，2008（20）.

[2]洪湛侯.《诗经》中的鱼文化[J].浙江海洋学院学报.2000.