Beibei is one of the mascots of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. It’s impressive with a fish-shaped headwear.

More than athletically appealing, the fish-shaped ornament conveys the wish of prosperity and harvest, as “fish” and “surplus” are both pronounced Yu in Chinese.

Yet, fish is not the only one with auspicious implication in China. Many other animals have been included into traditional graphic patterns, serving as a vehicle to express wishes for luck, peace, prosperity and happiness.

1. Five Bats

Bats and happiness are both pronounced fu in Chinese, therefore bats stand for happiness. Five Bats stand for the Five Happinesses: wealth, long life, peace, cultivation of virtue, health, and a good death.

2. Three Sheep

Images of sheep represent auspiciousness in ancient China. And, sheep and sun are both pronounced Yang in Chinese. The saying ‘san yang kai tai’ is from I Chjing (The Book of Changes) and says that spring returns to the earth and everything under the sun looks fresh and will have a prosperous future.

3. An Elephant Carrying a Bottle

The elephant is considered auspicious because of its considerably long life span. It carries on its back a bottle of heavenly dew and a willow sprig, which was originally Kuan-yin’s possession (Goddess of Mercy in Buddhism). Legend has it that a touch of the willow sprinkled with the dew cures all mental and physical illnesses.