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China is one of the countries which first developed fish industry, andthe history of raising fish can date back to thousands of years ago.As time goes by, the carp is endowed with rich cultural meanings. Thedesign that a carp jumps over the Dragon Gate is widely used.The word "li鲤（the carp）" has the same pronunciation with the word"li利 （profits）" in Chinese, so the carp is regarded as a symbol of theGod of Wealth who can bring wealth.The carp is prolific, so it is also an emblem of fertility. In someregions, when the bride walks out of the sedan chair, people will throwcopper coins. This custom is called "li yu sa zi （literally means thecarp lays eggs）".The carp symbolizes love and friendship. Ancient people used a fish-like board as an envelope. They called this kind of letter "yu shu（literally means fish letter）". The letter was also written on silk and wasput into the belly of a carp. This was called "yu chuan chi su （literallymeans the carp is used to convey letters）"In ancient times, the carp was seen as a sacred fish. People admiredit because it's able to swim against strong tides, so they believed thatthe carp had an ability to become a dragon and bring wind and water.
