Ruyi - Granters of Wishes

In China, there have been numbers of "Auspicious Pattern" that is popular in folk decorative arts for thousand years and has played an important role in Chinese traditional art treasure-house. The ruyi scepter, with its unique style and artistic language of distinctive national features, is one of the auspicious items that enjoys great popularity in folk culture and has been widely used in engraving, brocade, painting, printing and so on.

Ruyi (literally meaning “as you wishes”),  is a wish-granting wand with the shape of flat “S” and a head like the sacred lingzhi (“fungus of immortality”, a mythological mushroom that was said to give eternal life.). It may be made of any of a wide range of valuable materials: gold, jade, crystal, agate, coral, agolloch eaglewood and bamboo. The workmanship is often quite meticulous: it is carved with patterns in incision, low-relief or openwork and sometimes inlaid with silver, gold and gems. Ruyi is decorated with a number of symbols including castanets, gourd, fan and peach. The designs may be simple or very elaborate but invariably convey messages of good wishes, such as "pine and crane" (standing for vigorous old age), "immortals wishing you longevity", "phoenix and peony" (standing for wealth, happiness and prosperity), and the like.