Page 149 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book

A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols 142
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qian-hou

In Chinese, ‘front’ is associated with the South and with the element fire, and it is
imbued with yang, the male principle. Accordingly, the Emperor sat facing
south when his court was in session, and the imperial palace was always orientated on the
South, as was, indeed, by the rules of geomancy, any suitable site for a burial place.
‘Back’ was associated with the North, with water and with the female
principle yin. Subjects approached the Emperor from the South. ‘Left/right’
corresponded mainly to ‘East/West’. On old Chinese maps, North is at the bottom of the
sheet, South at the top.

Fruit

guoz

Like many flowers, the Chinese fruits also provide a rich field of symbolical
imagery. (See the following: Apple, Apricot, Bottle-gourd, Date, Finger-lemon, Orange,
Pear, Pomegranate, etc., etc.) It is said in the ‘Book of Rites’: ‘Many flowers and few
fruits: that is the working of heaven; but many words and few deeds – that is the
fault of men.’ Some of the Immortals can be recognised from the fruits associated
with them: thus Lan Cai-he (a basket of fruit or flowers) and He Xian-gu
(the peach of long life).
A man bearing fruit represents the poet and scholar Xi Kang (223–62). He was so
fond of fruit that even when he is portrayed without fruit in the company of a girl who
leans against the window, no one has any difficulty in getting the message: ‘Xi Kang
loves fruit.’
No Chinese word corresponds exactly to the English word ‘fruit’. A basic distinction
is made between ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ fruits. Neither the banana nor the lichee
counts as a ‘wet’ fruit (aqueous fruit), however, perhaps because in neither case can the
skin be eaten.
Apples and oranges make very acceptable gifts when visiting the sick – not least
because both are very expensive.