Chinese Scroll Paintings :: Chinese Koi Fish

All things have a story...

Koi fish are descendants of the carp, and the word "koi" actually means carp in Japanese. The Japanese refer to koi fish as "nishikigoi". Another meaning of koi in Japanese is affection and love, making the koi fish a symbol of friendship in Japan.

Koi fish were first seen and mentioned in China, and date back thousands of years to when emperors held them in captivity for their beauty. The koi fish has also been a lucky symbol in the Orient for centuries and is often the theme of Chinese and Japanese artwork. In China, the koi fish represents prosperity and abundance and the actual word for "fish" in Chinese means "abundance". A popular myth in Chinese folklore states that the koi fish turns into the celestial dragon after making its final leap out of the water. This is because koi fish are one of the few of their species to swim against the current, jumping the rapids, making them a symbol of bravery and courage to the Chinese.

Koi fish come in a multitude of colors, but the most popular in feng shui and Asian artwork is red and black. Often koi fish are painted on Chinese wall scrolls or paintings. Two koi fish swimming upstream are said to represent harmony and peace. One koi fish swimming upstream and the other swimming downstream (koi fish are almost always depicted in pairs in the artwork of China) are said to represent the yin and yang of existence. Often one koi fish will be painted black and the other red. In China, and especially in Japan, many private and public gardens and parks feature ponds with koi fish swimming in them. If you ever see such a pond, take notice of the bottom. It is often covered with coins, as the Chinese and Japanese believe that by throwing coins into a koi fish pond, it brings the thrower great luck. In general, fish are seen as lucky omens in Asian culture and thought to increase abundance.