Since ancient times, people around the world have developed and maintained their own traditional symbols to express their wishes for benevolence and fortune, and the Chinese were no exception. In fact, they have one of the longest, most colorful histories of incorporating auspicious symbols into nearly every aspect of life, including arts and culture. They used a wealth of symbols to represent their strong aspirations for a longer, happier, more prosperous life, in this world and the next. Chinese people of the past endowed a variety of creatures with abstract meanings, and then transformed those creatures into signs and symbols that they used to decorate all kinds of objects. They surrounded themselves with these auspicious symbols in the hope of making their wishes come true.