The Enduring Veneration of Fish in Chinese Culture: From Sustenance to Symbolism

China's profound reverence for fish traces back to primitive societies, as evidenced by numerous fish-patterned pottery basins excavated from the Banpo Neolithic site in Xi'an. Scholars have long debated their significance—some attributing them to totem worship, others to fertility cults or harvest celebrations. In my view, primitive peoples recorded and venerated fish primarily because they provided sustenance, fulfilling fundamental survival needs. Concepts like fertility worship seem improbable given their limited scientific knowledge—when even paternity remained uncertain, how could they comprehend piscine reproduction?

Later, even the dragon—a newly created object of worship—bore fish scales across its body. Ancient lore recounts mutual transformation between fish and dragons, with fish representing an alternate form of the dragon. The compound term "fish-dragon" (鱼龙) became commonplace, as seen in Zhang Ruoxu's Tang poem Spring River Flower Moon Night: "Where fish-dragon dive and leap, ripples inscribe the water."

Thus, the primal human-fish relationship began as "eater" versus "eaten." Han Dynasty stone reliefs depicting Feasts and Kitchen Scenes used tabletop fish to symbolize abundance in life and afterlife. During this period, fish also served as talismans guiding souls to the Yellow Springs and celestial realms.

The Tang Dynasty elevated the fish's status when the imperial surname Li (李)—homophonous with li (鲤, carp)—inspired the bestowal of "fish tallies" (鱼符) to officials. Carp-shaped pendants became insignia for ministers and generals, crafted in gold, silver, or bronze. Only officials of the fifth rank and higher could wear them, transforming fish into emblems of authority and status. A court decree even forbade eating carp, cementing its veneration. Henceforth, fish transcended culinary significance to embody auspiciousness, prosperity, and social rank—a symbolism enduring in modern Lunar New Year traditions where fish (鱼) appears on every altar and dining table to signify "abundance year after year" (年年有余).

Yuan Dynasty poetry and paintings reimagined this relationship through the figure of the fisherman (渔), replacing the fish (鱼) itself. The fisherman emerged as an archetype of the recluse—a free-spirited sage detached from worldly affairs. This imagery captures both the triumphant detachment in Yang Shen's lines—"The grey-haired fisher and woodcutter on the river isle, / Accustomed to autumn moons and vernal breezes. / Meeting joyously over a jar of rough wine— / All past and present tales dissolve in laughter"—and the austere nobility of Liu Zongyuan's verse: "No bird flies over a thousand mountains; / No footprint marks ten thousand paths. / Alone in his boat, straw-cloaked old man / Angles the cold river-snow."

Fish also symbolize love and sexuality. The ancient Jiangnan poem declares: "South of the River we pluck lotus; / Lotus leaves stretch lush and full. / Fish dart among lotus leaves— / East, west, south, north they play." Here, lotus represents love while fish signify femininity. As the Yuefu Ancient Themes Explained notes: "The Jiangnan ballad celebrates fair mornings and lovely scenes, reveling in season's delights." Modern marriage couplets still proclaim: "May fish-and-water union last a thousand years." The phrase "fish-and-water bliss" (鱼水之欢) vividly describes lovers' intimacy. Western traditions allegedly associate fish with male sexuality, though conclusive evidence remains elusive.

Reflecting on the artist's prolific piscine imagery, I ponder: What meaning lies beneath this aquatic obsession?

中国人对鱼的无限崇拜自原始社会就有足够的表现，这一点西安半坡遗址出土的多个鱼纹盆能够证明。那些鱼，被专家们反复猜测和论证，有说图腾崇拜的，有说生殖崇拜的，有说庆丰收的。要我看，原始人记录和崇拜了那么多鱼，就因为鱼能让他们填饱肚子，满足他们基本的生存和生活的需要。至于生殖崇拜之类的，我觉得原始人所具备的科学知识远远不能解答这样的问题，连自己的爹是谁都没搞清楚呢，又如何来搞清楚鱼的生殖与繁衍？即使是后来人们创造的新的崇拜对象——龙，其全身布满了鱼的鳞片。在古代的故事中，鱼龙可以互相转化，鱼是龙的另一种形态。鱼龙并称，成为一个常用的名词，像张若虚的《春江花月夜》中就有“鱼龙潜跃水成文”的美妙诗句。

也就是说，鱼一开始和人建立的关系是“食者”与“食物”的关系，汉代画像砖石中，“宴饮庖厨”图像中，都得以饭桌上的鱼来象征生前与死后的丰衣足食。并且，在汉代，鱼还是人走向黄泉与仙界的吉祥物。到唐代，因皇室姓“李”，谐音“鲤”，于是赐给臣子“鱼”符，君王将相佩饰中多有“鲤”佩，鱼符鲤佩分金、银、铜三种材质，且只有五品以上的官员才有资格佩带，因此，鱼成为权利和身份的标志。当时，朝庭有个规定，人们不能吃鲤鱼，从而表达对鲤鱼的敬畏之意。至此，鱼就不再仅仅是饭桌上的“食”了，渐渐成了吉祥如意、丰衣足食、身份权利的象征。至今，每年除夕，家家户户的餐桌与供品桌上必然有鱼，只为图个“年年有余”。元代，鱼与人的关系在元人的诗画歌曲中表现出来，画面与词曲中少了“鱼”，而多代之以“渔”。渔人是隐士的象征，是高士的别名，是自由自在的人。这其中既有“白发渔樵江渚上，惯看秋月春风。一壶浊酒喜相逢，古今多少事，都付笑谈中”的功成身退豪迈，也有“千山鸟飞绝，万径人踪灭。孤舟蓑笠翁，独钓寒江雪”的不随流俗的清高。