Understand the Meaning of Popular Feng Shui Symbols

Traditional, or classical feng shui schools, have many symbols used for various purposes. Some feng shui symbols are well known, such as the Mandarin ducks for love and marriage, the tortoise for protection and stability, or the koi fish for abundance. Some feng shui symbols, such as bats or Chi Lin, are less known. This list of feng shui symbols should help you. Many feng shui symbols double as feng shui cures.

In addition to the energy of beauty and grace, flowers also bring flourishing, good luck and numerous blessings, as well as good quality chi to any home. Living flowers like peonies, lotus, orchid, and chrysanthemums are among the best choice for your home as they bring strong healing energy; but images of flowers or high-quality silk flowers can be useful in feng shui, too. 

The feng shui energy of fruits is the energy of fruition. The use of specific fruits, like apples, pomegranate, and oranges in traditional feng shui applications is often dictated by classifications from ancient texts as being specific symbols of longevity, wealth, prosperity, and fertility. Feng shui-wise, attention is often paid to the colors, numbers, as well as the symbolism of specific fruits.  

Humans have looked to birds as symbols since time immemorial for inspiration, freedom, and a longing for being united with the divine. Of course, each bird has its own distinctive qualities; a peacock is very different from the dove, for example, or the magpie. When choosing images of birds as a feng shui cure, first and foremost be guided by your own experience and understanding.  

The most common feng shui use of the butterfly symbol is as a feng shui cure for love and romance, probably because love is the most transformative feeling that makes you feel like flying. The additional element of using the feng shui symbol of butterflies as a feng shui love cure is the element of freedom to choose among a number of suitors. The butterfly symbol is one of the best feng shui love cures for single people. 

In classical feng shui applications, the horse brings the energy of success, fame, freedom, and speed. Thus, the horse feng shui symbol is often used in the fame feng shui area of the bagua (south), as well as the career area (north). The image of a horse or several horses is often used in business and office feng shui applications. 

The most famous feng shui wealth fish is the arowana, or dragon fish, and the purest arowanas are known to be very expensive. However, koi or goldfish are just as effective, as well as a pleasure to look at. Go for eight or nine fish, one of them being black in color. Aquariums are auspicious because they bring a harmonious combination of several wealth-attracting feng shui factors. 

The black tortoise is one of the four celestial animals or guardians in feng shui. Each represents a cardinal direction and a season, the tortoise represents the winter and the north. The others are the green dragon (east/spring), the red phoenix (south/summer), the white tiger (west/fall). Considered to be the guardians of good feng shui energy, the roots of their symbolism and feng shui use go deep to the foundation of feng shui. Turtles or tortoises were used in feng shui as a protection cure. 

The bat is considered an auspicious classical Chinese feng shui symbol of good fortune and prosperity. It is likely this tie to prosperity came from the ancient medicinal properties found in bats—an important ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine.

The mystic knot is one of the most often used symbols in feng shui. Being a combination of six times the infinity symbol, this feng shui knot symbolizes a long and happy life full of good fortune. The mystic knot is sometimes referred to as the endless knot​ because it looks like it swallows its own tail. In Buddhism, the mystic knot is one of the eight magical auspicious objects. 

Feng shui fu dogs or imperial guardian lions are a strong feng shui protection symbol. Fu dogs were traditionally placed in front of imperial palaces, temples, and government offices. Fu dogs were also a traditional feng shui symbol of family wealth and social status and were placed in front of wealthy homes. Fu dogs are usually displayed as a couple. 

The Chi Lin is a mythical Chinese creature with the head of a dragon, the body of a horse, and the scales of a carp fish. Also called the dragon horse, or the Chinese unicorn, Chi Lin brings strong, protective feng shui energy with blessings of good health and prosperity. Chi Lin is very loyal to its owner and will protect the house from evil spirits. This mythical creature has a higher royal status than other feng shui guardians.