American Journal Of Philological Sciences
61
https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ajps
VOLUME
Vol.05 Issue06 2025
PAGE NO.
61-64
10.37547/ajps/Volume05Issue06-18
The Concept of Happiness in The Linguistic Landscape
of The Chinese World: The Case of The Han Ethnicity
Valieva Noiba Abbasovna
PhD, Lecturer at Tashkent State Institute of Oriental Studies, Uzbekistan
Received:
14 April 2025;
Accepted:
10 May 2025;
Published:
12 June 2025
Abstract:
This article explores the Chinese perception of happiness within the linguistic worldview. It examines
various conceptualizations and approaches to happiness in the Chinese context. Special attention is given to the
analysis of traditional Chinese philosop
hical categories such as wǔxíng (
五行
–
the Five Elements), wǔlún (
五
伦
–
the Five Cardinal Relationships), and wǔwèi (
五
纬
–
the Five Dimensions). The article demonstrates, through
linguistic examples, how the notion of happiness is systematically structured in the national linguistic
consciousness of the Chinese people.
Keywords:
Linguistic worldview, wǔfú (
五福
–
Five Blessings), wǔxíng (
五行
–
Five Elements), wǔlún (
五
伦
–
Five
Cardinal Relationships), wǔwèi (
五
纬
–
Five Dimensions).
Introduction:
In the study of changes in the national
mentality of each nation and the linguistic depiction of
the world, proverbs play an important role. The
Chinese perception of happiness can be observed in the
concept of wǔfú (
五福
–
Five Blessings) within their
linguistic consciousness. In Chinese, the character fú (
福
) symbolizes happiness and good fortune.
METHODS
This article addresses the changing views of the Chinese
people on happiness, as discussed in the works of
scholars such as An S.A., Vorsina O.A., Peschanskaya
E.V., Li Tzyanhua, and I.B. Smirnov. The study applies
semantic and descriptive analysis methods to examine
the subject matter.
Main part
One of the key principles of Confucianism is outlined in
the Book of Rites (4th-1st centuries BCE), which states:
“
福
fú
–
this is good fortune.” Furthermore, the
character fú (
福
) also carries a hidden meaning,
representing prosperity in commerce and the correct
development of all life events in the right direction. In
the Big Chinese-Russian Dictionary edited by I.M.
Oshanin, the character fú (
福
) is noted to denote
meanings such as prosperity, prayers, and offerings of
food (as detailed in Chapter II).
In China, as major holidays approach, particularly
during the Chinese New Year, one can observe that
Chinese people display images or greeting cards with
this character, often written in red ink on red paper, on
walls and doors. The character fú (
福
) is even printed
on clothing, gifts, toys, and jewelry. All of this indicates
that the Chinese believe that the character fú (
福
) calls
forth good fortune and happiness.
Historically, the Chinese have had a unique relationship
with the character fú (
福
), which encompasses the
concepts of happiness and all types of prosperity. This
character is closely linked to the spiritual world of the
Chinese people and plays a significant role in depicting
the simple worldview and the linguistic representation
of the universe. In ancient China, the term fú was
associated with meanings such as fúqi (
福气
–
to be
fortunate) and fú yùn (
福运
–
a fortunate destiny). In
modern Chinese, however, younger generations often
use the character fú (
福
) in a more specific sense, as
part of the term xìngfú (
幸福
–
happiness). The
character fú (
福
) has been maximally utilized and
continuously developed by the Chinese, and thus, a
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
stable and unified system of the fú phenomenon has
been firmly established within Chinese culture .
The character fú (
福
) represents happiness, and
according to the ancient Chinese etymological
dictionary
细说汉字
(Detailed Explanation of Chinese
Characters), the left side of this character retains a
symbol of the altar, representing the connection
between humans and the gods and ancestors, while the
right side depicts an image of a vessel, an open mouth,
and a field. The mouth, in this context, represents a
person living in a household, while the field symbolizes
food. One can interpret this as the mouth symbolizing
a human being, and the field representing food,
suggesting that one person is linked to one field. Food
has always been, both a thousand years ago and today,
the most essential need for human beings. Therefore,
in the ancient Chinese understanding of fú, happiness
was linked to the protection of Heaven and the gods. In
this character, it conveys the idea that a person who
adheres to the moral principles established by Heaven
and venerates both the gods and ancestors will receive
all that is necessary for life
—
home and sustenance.
In the jiǎgǔwén (
甲骨文
) script, which dates back to the
14th-11th centuries BCE, during the latter half of the
Shang dynasty, the character fú (
福
) is described as
follows: This character consists of two parts. On the left
side, the symbol
示
represents the altar, while on the
right side, two hands holding a vessel of wine are
depicted. This symbolizes the act of humans offering
wine at the altar and praying to the gods. In this way,
the ancient Chinese sought happiness from Heaven and
the gods.
The character fú (
福
), which has evolved over time,
now consists of several distinct components in modern
Chinese: yī (
衣
), yī (
一
), kǒu (
口
), and tián (
田
). The
character yī (
衣
) represents clothing, and together, the
character fú is interpreted as yīkǒu tián, yī lù quán (
一
口田，衣禄全
), meaning "to own land, be prosperous,
and achieve high status." In the Big Chinese-Russian
Dictionary edited by I.M. Oshanin (1983-1984), the
character fú (
福
) is translated as follows:
Fú (
福
) - noun. Happiness, prosperity; fortunate;
享
("to
enjoy happiness");
运
("to have a fortunate destiny");
Blessing, grace (in the sense of divine favor), a blessing
from Heaven, to wish for happiness;
托
(a polite form,
as in "by your blessings");
In a polite sense (referring to the div), fullness,
plumpness:
他
变了
~
了
("He has become plump");
Ancient: To bow with folded hands (a woman's gesture
of respect);
Ancient: The remains of offerings, food presented as
sacrifices; ~
酒
("the remains of sacrificial wine"), ~
胙
("the remains of sacrificial meat").
II. Verb
To grant happiness, to dedicate, to bless; ~
善
祸淫
–
to
bestow happiness upon the good, misfortune upon the
wicked (meaning actions and consequences); Ancient:
to bow (referring to the gesture of a woman folding her
hands in respect)
了一
[woman] she bowed with folded
hands.
III. Notable Geographical: a) Fujian; ~
海关
–
Fujian
customs (San Du Ao); ~
橘
–
Fujian mandarins (a variety
of fruit); b) Fuzhou city;Fu (surname).
福
fú (happiness, goodness, virtuous deeds);
幸运
(luck).
身在中不知
("You live in prosperity but do not
appreciate it" or "you are always dissatisfied regardless
of circumstances"). Thus, the character fú (
福
) has a
significant and unparalleled place in the 5,000-year
history of Chinese culture. Among the concepts of shòu
(
寿
–
longevity), lù (
禄
–
official rank), xǐ (
喜
–
joy), and
cái (
财
–
wealth), fú (
福
) occupies the primary position.
Unlike the next four characters, which are tangible, fú (
福
) holds an intangible and unique meaning. However,
in the process of analyzing phraseological units, we
observe that the character fú (
福
) and the other four
characters are interrelated and that one implies the
necessity of the other.
Certainly, in the Chinese people's mental worldview,
when "happiness" is mentioned, the character fú (
福
) is
immediately evoked. However, in phraseological units,
there are also components such as shòu (
寿
–
longevity), lù (
禄
–
official rank), xǐ (
喜
–
joy, ceremony),
and cái (
财
–
wealth) that contribute to the concept of
"happiness." Therefore, while the character fú (
福
)
represents happiness in Chinese, "complete happiness"
is specifically represented by wǔfú (
五福
–
Five
Blessings).
The Chinese people's attitude towards happiness is
derived from several millennia of collective experience.
The concept of happiness in the national mental
worldview of the Chinese is
closely related to wǔfú (
五
福
), and during national celebrations, it is common to
encounter red paper inscriptions such as wǔfú línmén (
五福
临门
). All Chinese people believe that wǔfú (
五福
), or complete happiness, encompasses five characters,
and that it brings happiness to everyone.
In Chinese culture, there is a unique relationship with
the number five, which is connected to the elements of
nature
and
represents
the
five
directions.
Philosophically, the Chinese worldview holds that the
entire universe and existence are made up of the forces
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
of Yin and Yang, and that harmony emerges through
the balance between these forces. It is from the symbol
of Yin and Yang that the form of the five characters
emerges . Therefore, the creation of the world and the
forces that sustain it, as well as the harmony in nature,
explain why the five characters occupy a higher
position in the national consciousness of the Chinese
compared to other numbers.
Furthermore, the following perspectives can also be
observed: "the five primary colors (blue, red, yellow,
white, black)" and in ancient Chinese music, there were
five tones. Believing in the creative origin of this
number and in its ability to drive the world toward
movement, development, and change, the Chinese
associate it with medicine
–
the five internal organs and
the five sensory organs, and with astrology
–
the five
main planets (wǔxīng,
五星
: Jupiter, Mars, Saturn,
Venus, Mercury) . The Sun and the Moon are not
included in this list, as they are considered the
definitive symbols of the Yin and Yang principles.
Additionally, there are several terms related to the
number five, which include five components. For
example: wǔxíng (
五行
), wǔlún (
五
伦
), wǔwèi (
五
纬
),
and other concepts related to happiness such as wúwéi
(
无
为
), sānduō (
三多
). Wh
ile wǔxíng (
五行
), wǔlún (
五
伦
), wǔwèi (
五
纬
) do not directly represent happiness,
there is still a certain connection between them. This
can also be observed in the following explanations.
Wǔxíng (
五行
) refers to the five elements, which
include Earth, Wood, Metal, Fire, and Water. This term
is also associated with views on the basic model of the
creation of the world. Wǔxíng (
五行
) represents energy
and the measure of movement, that is, the five types of
energy. Wǔxíng (
五行
) is an ancient system that has
been passed down from generation to generation in
the form of symbols, predating written language and
knowledge . Wǔlún (
五
伦
) in Confucianism represents
the fundamental norms of interpersonal relationships.
These relationships are divided into several layers, such
as those between the ruler and court members, father
and son, elder and younger siblings, husband and wife,
and friends. This set of five also partially encompasses
the concept of happiness, as seen in the saying huò yóu
è zuò, fú zì déshēng (
祸由恶作，福自德生
), meaning
"misfortune arises from evil actions, while happiness is
born from virtue"
—
that is, good morals pave the way
for a happy life .
三多
sānduō*, often seen in prayers or
greetings, refers to the three most desired things
-for many people:
- happiness, long life, and sons;
-
for a writer, it’s the need for much reading, writing,
and discussing with others;
-
for a scholar, it’s the need for much reading, thinking,
and explaining.
These wishes are embodied in these specific
characters. In this context, the first section lists the
three main wishes: sons representing the continuation
of the family line, the three essential sources for a
writer, and the important demands for scholars to think
and explain. Though not directly related to the five
characters, this concept is still connected to happiness.
Specifically, the two components of wǔfú (
五福
),
namely fú (
福
) for happiness and shòu (
寿
) for long life,
reflect these elements.
Wúwéi (
无
为
) refers to the Taoist philosophy of "non-
action" or "inaction." Literally, it means "no action,"
and in this context, it refers to the concept of "not
taking any action that contradicts the natural direction
of the cosmos. " In Chinese philosophy, particularly
among the early Taoist philosophers (Daojia) from the
4th and 3rd centuries BCE, the idea was expressed
during the Warring States period (475
–
221 BCE). These
thinkers continuously envisioned a dynamic world.
According to Taoist thought, the entire cosmos (Dao)
unfolds through constant oscillations and, through this
natural process (Ziran), self-realizes. All things in the
universe, including humans, align with this cosmic path.
When there are no obstacles, they thrive and flourish.
However, humans often interfere with this natural
order through logic, language, culture, and governance,
which lead to artificiality and deviation from the natural
way.
This worldview is also reflected in proverbs: Zaisheng
yiri, shengsi qiannian (
在生一日，
胜死千年
)
–
"One
day of life is better than a thousand years of death,"
expressing contentment and enjoyment with the life
given to a person. Another example is Zhīzú chánglè (
知足常
乐
)
–
"He who is content will always be happy,"
signifying that satisfaction with life leads to happiness.
CONCLUSION
From the above information, it can be understood that
the Chinese have long been attempting to express and
comprehend the concept of "happiness." The concept
of "happiness" has taken a clear form in the Chinese
national linguistic consciousness. It can also be
observed that the number five is considered divine in
Chinese culture. The concepts of wǔlún (
五
伦
), wǔxíng
(
五行
), and wǔwéi (
五
维
) serve as examples of this. In
the linguistic landscape of the Chinese worldview,
there are four distinct representations of "happiness."
All of these have been shaped over centuries under the
influence of societal norms, rules, and lifestyle. These
American Journal Of Philological Sciences
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American Journal Of Philological Sciences (ISSN
–
2771-2273)
concepts have a history of over 2,000 years. The
concept of wǔfú (
五福
) in particular reflects the
transformation in the national mental consciousness of
the Chinese people.
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