Peranakan jewellery is recognisable in part because of its motif vocabulary. The pieces almost always carry a recognisable form drawn from nature, with the form chosen for the symbolic meaning it carries. A peony is not just a flower; it is a wish for prosperity. A butterfly is not just an insect; it is a metaphor for love and transformation. A fan is not just an ornament; it is a symbol of refinement carried across two thousand years of Asian material culture. This guide covers the key motifs in Peranakan jewellery, their meanings, and how they have been reinterpreted in the modern Poh Heng Legacy® Fan Series.
The Fan (扇) — Refinement, Grace, and Movement
The fan is the signature motif of the latest Poh Heng Legacy® collection, and its position is not accidental. The fan has been a vocabulary item in Chinese, Japanese, and Peranakan material culture for more than two thousand years. In Chinese tradition it appeared on scholars' fans, in court paintings, and in classical poetry as a marker of cultivated refinement. In Japanese tradition the folding fan (sensu) developed into an art form in its own right, with origami contributing a precise geometric vocabulary of folded form. In Peranakan culture, the kipas was a standard accessory of formal Nyonya dress, carried at family ceremonies and major occasions.
The fan motif in jewellery captures all of these layers at once. It works as a wearable reference to a long-running Asian cultural symbol while also reading as a visually distinctive contemporary silhouette. The Legacy® Fan Series makes the fan the central design element across a range of pendants, earrings, and rings.
When the fan motif works best. Fan motif pieces work well across a wide range of contexts. The fan is associated with poise and refinement, which makes it suitable for both formal cultural occasions and everyday wear. Unlike certain bridal-specific motifs, the fan does not lock a piece into a single occasion category.
The Peony — King of Flowers, Symbol of Prosperity
The peony has been called the king of flowers in Chinese culture, a title earned through centuries of association with prosperity, wealth, feminine grace, and family harmony. The flower's lush, layered petals were taken as a visual metaphor for abundance, and the peony has appeared in Chinese decorative art for more than a thousand years.
In Peranakan jewellery, the peony motif appears in pendants, brooches, earrings, and elaborate kerosang sets. The motif is particularly associated with bridal and wedding-related pieces. A bride wearing a peony motif at her wedding carries forward a centuries-old wish for prosperous family life.
When the peony motif works best. Peony pieces are well suited to weddings, anniversaries, and major family occasions. The motif's strong feminine associations also make it a natural choice for milestone gifts marking womanhood, such as a 21st birthday or a graduation.
The Phoenix — Grace, Rebirth, and Feminine Power
The phoenix in Chinese symbolism is the female counterpart to the dragon, representing grace, virtue, harmony, and renewal. The phoenix and dragon are often paired in Chinese wedding iconography, with the bride associated with the phoenix and the groom with the dragon.
Phoenix motifs in Peranakan jewellery appear most prominently in bridal pieces, especially crown-like brooches and large-scale pendants. The motif also appears in everyday Peranakan jewellery, where it signals feminine grace and the resilience of family lineage.
When the phoenix motif works best. Phoenix pieces are strongly associated with bridal jewellery and ceremonial pieces marking major life transitions. The motif also reads well in heirloom-style pieces intended to be passed down through generations of women in the family.
The Butterfly — Love, Transformation, and Conjugal Happiness
The butterfly is a layered symbol in Chinese and Peranakan culture. Its life cycle, from caterpillar to chrysalis to winged adult, has long been read as a metaphor for transformation and personal growth. The butterfly is also strongly associated with romantic love, drawn from a famous Chinese legend in which two lovers transform into butterflies after being separated in life.
In Peranakan jewellery, the butterfly motif appears in pieces that mark relationship milestones: engagement gifts, wedding pieces, and anniversary jewellery. The motif's delicate, intricate detailing also makes it a natural showcase for fine craft, as the wings allow for elaborate gem-setting and filigree work.
When the butterfly motif works best. Butterfly pieces are well suited to engagement gifts, wedding anniversaries, and gifts marking transformation moments such as a child's coming of age or a milestone birthday.
The Lotus — Purity and Spiritual Awakening
The lotus is one of the most spiritually significant motifs across Asian material culture. In Chinese symbolism the lotus represents purity, integrity, and beauty that rises from difficult origins. The flower's habit of growing from muddy water into pristine bloom has been read as a metaphor for spiritual development across Buddhist, Hindu, and Confucian traditions.
Lotus motifs in Peranakan jewellery appear in formal pieces and pieces with religious or spiritual significance. The motif is less common than the peony or phoenix but carries strong meaning when chosen deliberately.
When the lotus motif works best. Lotus pieces work well as meaningful gifts marking spiritual or personal milestones, including significant birthdays, life transitions, or moments of personal achievement.
Bamboo — Longevity, Resilience, and Integrity
Bamboo is one of the Four Gentlemen of Chinese painting, alongside the plum blossom, orchid, and chrysanthemum. The plant's slender, segmented form has been read for centuries as a metaphor for integrity, resilience under pressure, and longevity. Bamboo bends in storms without breaking and continues to grow steadily across decades.
Bamboo motifs in Peranakan jewellery appear more often in men's pieces and in pieces marking longevity, including significant anniversaries and milestone family events. The motif also appears in pieces intended as long-term family heirlooms.
When the bamboo motif works best. Bamboo pieces work well as anniversary jewellery, particularly for milestones marking decades of marriage or family endurance.
How Motifs Are Worn: Matching Meaning to Occasion
Traditional Peranakan jewellery wear was governed by a relatively rich set of conventions about which motifs suited which occasions. A bride would wear peony and phoenix; an anniversary piece might carry bamboo or butterfly; an everyday piece might use simpler forms or a single motif from the broader vocabulary. The wearer was expected to know the meanings and to choose accordingly.
Modern Peranakan-inspired pieces have loosened these conventions, but the underlying logic remains. A piece is more meaningful when its motif aligns with the occasion it marks. A fan motif piece given as a graduation gift carries a wish for grace and refinement; a peony given at a wedding carries a wish for prosperity; a butterfly given at an anniversary marks the long transformation of a relationship over time.
This is part of what distinguishes Peranakan jewellery from generic luxury jewellery. The motif is not just a design choice; it is a carrier of meaning that the giver and the wearer share.
From Tradition to Today
The motif vocabulary of Peranakan jewellery has remained remarkably stable across two centuries of design evolution. The peony, phoenix, butterfly, lotus, bamboo, and fan all appear in nineteenth-century pieces and in pieces being designed in 2026. What has changed is the way the motifs are interpreted in metal, the scale at which they are rendered, and the contexts in which the pieces are worn.
The Poh Heng Legacy® Fan Series is the brand's most recent contribution to this evolving tradition. By making the fan the central motif of an entire collection, the Fan Series elevates a motif that has historically been part of the broader Peranakan vocabulary into a signature design language. The collection sits alongside older Poh Heng heritage pieces and contemporary Singapore Peranakan-inspired jewellery as part of a living tradition.
A jewellery tradition stays alive when its vocabulary is both preserved and reinterpreted. The motifs are the language; each new collection is a new sentence in a centuries-old conversation.
Explore the Poh Heng Legacy® Fan Series →