Cicada
Diverse interpretations of folk beliefs
‌Auspicious symbol of utilitarian pursuit‌.
In Feng Shui, the chirping of cicadas symbolizes "making a name for oneself", and students wear cicada-shaped ornaments to pray for success; the combination of cicada and lychee is homophonic to "gaining both fame and fortune", and merchants use it to pray for wealth. ‌‌
Wearing a cicada on the waist means "being rich", and in wedding customs, cicada-shaped tokens symbolize long-lasting love. ‌‌
‌A natural metaphor for the resilience of life‌.
The larvae can hibernate for up to 17 years (such as periodic cicadas). This survival wisdom is extended to the philosophy of life of "accumulating strength and then bursting out", and jade cicada handles are often engraved with the inscription "hibernating and accumulating strength, and finally becoming a great man". ‌‌