Chinese Goldfish [antikvár]

' . J -' hr ¦¦ ¦ f,fn li llliHhrt-hilf Goldfish—Flower of the Water goldfish is a traditional Chinese ornamental fish. Because of its gorgeous colours and elegant graceful shape people call it the flower of the water. Its home is China. Since its domestication in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279) the varieties of goldfish have increased continually. Goldfish from China have been introduced directly or indirectly into different countries of the world. Raising goldfish costs little but brings much pleasure. Goldfish beautify gardens, parks and courtyards. If a few goldfish pools are placed in the midst of flowers and verdant trees, the riot of colours as the goldfish swim and frolic between green grass and bizarre rocks will enliven picturesque scenery. In China goldfish have become an indispensable artistic ornament for beautifying the environment. Appreciating goldfish has become a favourite pastime, enriching people's aesthetic taste and relaxing the mind. After intense work if one stands quietly beside an aquarium to appreciate beautiful, vivacious goldfish, one will begin to feel carefree and happy, with all fatigue gone. Goldfish are easy to raise. Since they do not require much equipment or expense, children can also gain a wealth of knowledge from raising goldfish. The Chinese people love goldfish. In celebration of an excellent harvest and the lunar New Year they usually put up New Year posters of goldfish symbolizing "Surplus in coming years'" and, therefore, happiness and perfect satisfaction. The gorgeous colours and beautiful shapes of goldfish have been used widely in different sorts of plastic and applied arts to enrich people's lives. Raising a few goldfish will certainly bring you joy and delight. ' In Chinese, the character for fish is homonymous with the character for surplus.