The Shapes That Carry Wishes — Symbols in Taiwanese Craft
You may have tasted a pineapple cake from Taiwan, or perhaps a delicate pastry wrapped in a shape you didn't quite recognise. Behind every bite is a story that stretches back centuries — one of harvests, offerings, and the quiet language of blessing.
In Taiwan's agricultural past, sugar and flour were precious. Reserved for festivals, ceremonies, and celebrations, they were pressed into intricately carved wooden moulds — shaped into peaches, fish, turtles, and flowers — first as offerings to ancestors and gods, then as gifts between people, carrying wishes from one hand to another.
The word for cake in Chinese, gāo (糕), sounds identical to the word for "rising" or "elevated" (gāo, 高) — so every piece of cake given was also a wish: may you rise, may you flourish, may good things come to you.
At Yiiland, we chose objects shaped by this same tradition. Our ceramic chopstick rests and paperweights carry these ancient motifs — not as decoration, but as small daily reminders of something worth wishing for.
Guardians and Longevity
Auspicious Lion (Ruì Shī, 瑞獅)
The lion in Chinese culture is not a wild animal — it is a guardian. Placed at gates and doorways, it wards off misfortune and welcomes good energy. A gift of an auspicious lion is a wish for protection.
Stone Lion (Shí Shī, 石獅)
Steadier and more grounded than its counterpart, the stone lion guards the home. Where the auspicious lion moves with energy, the stone lion holds still — a quiet, permanent protector.
Turtle (Guī, 龜)
The turtle lives longer than almost any creature on earth. In Taiwanese tradition, its shape — particularly the red turtle cake (hóng guī guǒ, 紅龜粿) — is pressed into mould and offered at birthdays and ceremonies as a wish for long life and good fortune.
Flying Bird (Fēi Niǎo, 飛鳥)
Birds carry news. In Chinese culture, a bird in flight symbolises freedom, joy, and the arrival of good things. To give someone a bird is to wish them lightness.
Qilin (Qílín, 麒麟)
Half dragon, half deer, the qilin is a mythical creature of great gentleness — it walks so softly it does not bend a blade of grass. Historically associated with the birth of children, it is a symbol of new life arriving with grace.
Longevity Peach (Shòu Táo, 壽桃)
The peach of immortality, said to grow in the garden of the gods and ripen once every three thousand years. Given at birthdays and celebrations, it carries one simple wish: long life, good health.
Prosperity and Good Fortune
Fish (Yú, 魚)
The Chinese word for fish (yú, 魚) sounds exactly like the word for abundance (yú, 餘). To display a fish is to say: may you always have more than enough. It is one of the most beloved symbols in Chinese culture, present at every New Year table.
Ancient Coin (Gǔ Qián, 古錢)
Round on the outside, square in the centre — the ancient coin holds the world in its shape. It symbolises wealth arriving from all directions, fullness in every sense.
Scholar (Zhuàngyuan, 狀元)
In imperial China, the zhuangyuan was the highest scorer in the national examination — a figure of immense prestige and achievement. His image carries a simple but powerful wish: may you excel, may your efforts be recognised.
Pineapple (Fènglí, 鳳梨)
In Taiwanese dialect, pineapple is pronounced ông-lâi — which sounds like "prosperity is coming." It is perhaps the most joyful symbol in Taiwanese culture: bright, spiky, and bursting with good energy. You will find it at every opening ceremony, every celebration, every moment that calls for optimism.
Love, Family, and New Beginnings
Dragonfly (Qīngtíng, 蜻蜓)
Elegant and swift, the dragonfly symbolises grace and upward movement — a quiet encouragement to keep rising.
Cicada (Chán, 蟬)
The cicada spends years underground before emerging to sing. In Chinese culture, it represents transformation, purity, and the courage to begin again.
Lotus Pod (Lián Péng, 蓮蓬)
The lotus pod holds many seeds within it — and seeds, in any culture, mean possibility. In Chinese tradition, many seeds mean many descendants, many blessings, a family that grows and flourishes.
Plum Blossom (Méi Huā, 梅花)
The plum blossoms in the coldest part of winter, when everything else has retreated. It is a symbol of resilience — of beauty that insists on appearing even in difficult conditions.
The Guide Chicken (Dài Lù Jī, 帶路雞)
In Taiwanese wedding tradition, a pair of chickens leads the bride to her new home. In Taiwanese dialect, ke (雞, chicken) sounds like ke (家, home) — so the guide chicken carries the most essential wish of all: may you find your way home, may you build something that lasts.
Each of these symbols lives on in the objects we carry at Yiiland — pressed into ceramic, chosen by hand, brought from Taiwan to your table.
