From "Six Contract Spring" to "Six Harmonies Tower": The Auspicious Significance of the Number "Six" in Traditional Chinese Culture
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This article explores the cultural symbolic meaning of the number "six" in the idioms "Six Contracts for Spring" and "Liuhe Tower", as well as its profound connotations in traditional Chinese culture. Firstly, by analyzing the idiom "Six Contracts for Spring", its literal and symbolic meanings are explained, emphasizing that "Liuhe" represents the six directions between heaven and earth, symbolizing the harmony and prosperity of the universe, while "Tongchun" symbolizes the revival of all things and the universal vitality. Secondly, this article analyzes the symbolic significance of Hangzhou's "Liuhe Tower" as a historical and cultural landmark, revealing that the tower serves as a link between heaven and earth, reflecting the cosmology in traditional Chinese culture and the concept of harmony in human society. Furthermore, this article explores the auspicious meaning of the number "six" in Chinese culture, and analyzes the important role of "six" in expressing smooth, unobstructed and other beautiful wishes, based on its similar pronunciation to the word "flow". Finally, this article summarizes the multiple symbols of the number "six" in traditional Chinese culture, from language, philosophy to art. Numbers are not only used as counting tools, but also carry profound cultural meanings about harmony, smoothness, and perfection. Through these analyses, this article demonstrates the uniqueness of digital symbols in Chinese culture and their significant impact on people's daily lives.
DOI: 10.54097/r4c3ex65
Author: Jun Tang
Institution: Zhejiang Normal University
Language: English
Subfield: General Arts and Humanities
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4405842746