If you are considering adding the Chinese rug to your home, one thing that you will notice is that this style does not use symbols that unite to create a design. Instead, each element of the design stands alone. Another trait that is specific to Chinese rugs is that the designs used in them can be taken literally. When you look at a piece, you are observing a work of art that has a very specific meaning.

Common Chinese Rug Designs

One very common layout in Chinese rugs is the medallion. In this type of design, the medallions themselves are usually round. They may feature geometric designs, flowers or a dragon with legs and wings that resemble a leaf pattern. In some designs, a larger middle medallion is surrounded on each side by smaller ones. The background of the rug may be a solid colour, or filled up with other symbols. Common background designs include butterflies, flowers, birds and bats. Some rugs online have symbols that resemble leaves in the background. Some designs feature an all-over layout with repeating symbols. Along with medallions, popular choices in design include bats, lotuses and peonies. Some designs feature an overall pattern made up of squares, octagons, clouds or swastikas. Rug borders usually have a geometric shape. Repeating swastikas, letter key patterns, or cloud bands are very common. Solid colours are generally used for minor borders.

Colours Used in Chinese Rugs

Commonly used colours used for symbols found in Chinese rugs are pink, blue and white. Background colours are usually pastels, including beige, white, ivory, peach, apricot, yellow and pink. Yellow is often featured in Chinese rugs since this colour is associated with royalty and power. Blue tones are not commonly used for rugs, but you may find a newer one that features this hue. Antique wool rugs, made before the 19th century, usually have a background in a light walnut colour.

Chinese Rug Symbols

Makers of Chinese rugs use symbols to convey certain ideas in their designs. For example, the Shou character is used often, and it is a symbol for a long life. Another common symbol used in rugs from China is the Fu character, and this means good luck. Bats are also considered a sign of good luck and for that reason, these winged mammals appear in Chinese rug designs often. Butterflies symbolise a happy marriage, and pomegranates represent fertility. A rug featuring a dragon means authority and power. The phoenix is a sign of happiness and peace. A Chinese rug design featuring fish points to abundance. Clouds are used to symbolize making a wish. The often-used swastika pattern has several meanings in Chinese culture. This symbol may represent the number 10,000 or the heart of Buddha. This symbol can also mean happiness. When the pattern is repeated, as when it appears in a border design, it can be interpreted as happiness x 10,000, which is a lovely sentiment to bring into a home.

This entry was posted on January 27, 2012 at 8:38 PM and has received 131 views. There are currently 0 comments.