IMPERIAL, JINGDEZHEN KILNS, DAOGUANG FOUR-CHARACTER MARK IN IRON-RED IN A LINE AND OF THE PERIOD (1821-1850)

Much of the popularity of fish as a decorative theme, especially in later dynasties, hinges on the fact that the word for fish (yu) is a homophone for the word for abundance or surplus (yu) - thus two fish represent doubled abundance and a gold fish (jinyu) symbolizes an abundance of gold, or the idea of gold and jade, which represents wealth. The pronunciation of the word for carp also suggests the Confucian li of moral uprightness. In addition, the carp represents the scholar, who strives to be successful in his civil service examinations and become a jinshi, and will thus gain a good official position. Legend tells of the carp swimming upstream every spring to the Dragon Gate on the Yellow River. If it succeeds in leaping over the gate, it is transformed into a dragon. This bottle could have been gifted to someone about to take the civil service examinations, as a token of good luck.