Wu fu - Macro Mondays - Metal
Wu fu means five blessings and dates back 2-3 thousand years, at least. The Chinese characters for bats and for blessings (or good luck) are both pronounced "fu" hence they are linked one to the other as homophones. Additionally, five is a sacred number to the Chinese as referring to the five elements of the world. The five bats represent the five blessings: health, wealth, longevity, love of virtue, and peaceful death. They are often portrayed around the character for longevity. (I have a rug with that combination woven into it.) The ones pictured here are on the opposite sides of a small antique Chinese tea pot (3-7/8 inches in height), (which I will picture in comments).
Wu fu - Macro Mondays - Metal
Wu fu means five blessings and dates back 2-3 thousand years, at least. The Chinese characters for bats and for blessings (or good luck) are both pronounced "fu" hence they are linked one to the other as homophones. Additionally, five is a sacred number to the Chinese as referring to the five elements of the world. The five bats represent the five blessings: health, wealth, longevity, love of virtue, and peaceful death. They are often portrayed around the character for longevity. (I have a rug with that combination woven into it.) The ones pictured here are on the opposite sides of a small antique Chinese tea pot (3-7/8 inches in height), (which I will picture in comments).