Goldfish, one of a pair

The large, bulging eyes identify these two fish as goldfish. The carvings, flattened on one side, are intended to be worn as ornaments. One fish is shown with waterweeds and a lotus blossom; the other, with cross-hatchings on its body, carries a lingzhi fungus.
The goldfish is one of the favorite pets of China. Through the ages, the Chinese developed many beautiful and fantastic varieties of goldfish, and kept them in ponds and containers. Imperial documents from the Yuanming Yuan often mention the Qianlong emperor feeding his goldfish when he stayed at his Summer Palace during the spring and summer of 1756 (Yuanming Yuan 1991, 846–92). The goldfish was introduced to Europe at the end of the 1600s (Williams [year?], 184).

Goldfish, jinyu, is a pun for gold and jade. The term for a pond of goldfish, jinyu mantang, is homophonous with "a wealthy establishment." Thus Chinese households and commercial establishments kept ponds and tanks of goldfish not merely for enjoyment, but also because of its auspicious sentiment.