Harmony of Nine Koi

A serene pond comes alive in silk: nine koi drift among blooming lotus flowers, their colors glowing against deep, quiet water. Every scale, petal and ripple is stitched by hand in the Suzhou tradition, using fine silk threads shaded tone upon tone until the fish seem ready to glide away.

Image size: 20 x 36 in (unframed silk embroidery)
Framed size: 29 x 46 in

The Story — Harmony in Every Stitch

In Chinese, the lotus (荷, hé) sounds exactly like the word for harmony (和, hé) — and nine koi swimming peacefully among lotus blooms carry one of the most beloved wishes of all: a home in harmony, with abundance flowing in year after year. The koi themselves stand for perseverance and good fortune; the carp that swims upstream, it is said, can leap the Dragon Gate and rise above every obstacle. Painted in water and silk, this flowing scene brings calm, balance and quiet prosperity to any room it graces.