|
|
|
|
|
In the Mandarin tongue, the character for "bat" is pronounced the same as the one for
"happiness"—fú—and from that play on words, bats have become
associated with good fortune. When shown singly, bats represent happiness and are often
depicted in bright red, the color of joy. When five bats are seen together in Chinese art,
typically encircling the stylized ideogram known as the prosperity symbol, they represent
the Five Blessings: health, wealth, virtuousness, longevity, and a peaceful, natural death.
|
|
|
|
|
This popular motif is traditionally embroidered on fine silk clothing to imply that
the wearer's prosperity results from a virtuous lifestyle. For much the same reason,
it's also a recurrent theme in traditional tile- and brick-work.
|
|
|
|
|
The leap from the traditional Chinese concept of the Five Blessings to the fundamental
TCM theory of the Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) seems to me a natural
extension of the symbol's meaning. Further, with the average American associating the
bat less with fortune and benevolence than with nightmares and evil—Dracula,
Halloween, Batman (okay, so the campy 1960s TV series' Batman wasn't all that scary,
but tell that to Frank Miller
and Dave McKean)—I feel that bats deserve all the
good press they can get.
In light of that, I encourage you to visit (and support) the fabulous
Bat Conservation International,
where you can learn more about bats and their importance to our ecology and economy.
|
|
|
Website and text © Don F Gates. Site by Tamar Cohen.
Logo by Hugh D'Andrade.
|
|
|
|
|
|
