### **I. Core Meaning**
1. **Attracting Wealth and Fortune (the homonym of "百财")**
Cabbage is homophonic to "百财", which means **wealth from all directions and a wide source of wealth**. Its layers of leaves are like gathering wealth, symbolizing the accumulation of wealth and prosperous business. They are often placed on tea tables or desks by businessmen or families to pray for good fortune.
2. **Pure and Noble (the metaphor of "青白")**
Cabbage leaves are white and stems are green, with a simple and elegant color, symbolizing **pure and honest** character. In ancient times, literati often used cabbage to describe themselves, expressing their ambition to be indifferent to fame and fortune and stick to their moral integrity, which is in line with the spiritual pursuit of "pure heart and few desires" in the tea ceremony.
3. **Good Luck and Good Fortune (the auspiciousness of "遇百财")**
Due to its homophonic meaning, cabbage has been extended to auspicious words such as "遇百财" and "百财聚来", expressing the good wishes for a rich life and smooth sailing. People also regard it as a "lucky vegetable", which means a safe home and continuous blessings.
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### **Second, cultural symbol**
1. **Many children and good fortune**
The leaves of cabbage are lush and tightly wrapped, which resembles a prosperous family and is passed down from generation to generation. It is especially suitable for giving to newlyweds, wishing **a large family and a prosperous family**.
2. **The fusion of simplicity and abundance**
Although cabbage is an ordinary thing, it can grow into a rich state, implying the philosophy of "the ordinary is precious", symbolizing **a low-key and pragmatic, accumulating strength and then making a breakthrough** attitude towards life, which is consistent with the concept of "simplicity is beauty" in tea ceremony.
3. **The connection between art and life**
Painters such as Qi Baishi often use cabbage in their paintings, praising its "fragrant roots" and giving it **cultural interest that is appreciated by both the refined and the popular**. Tea Pet Cabbage sublimates daily ingredients into works of art, reflecting the oriental aesthetics of "life is the way".
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### **Three, details and placement**
- **Material selection**: Purple clay is the best choice, with strong water absorption and easy to develop a warm patina, symbolizing "wealth infiltration";
- **Shape characteristics**: The ones with thick leaves and full roots are the best, implying "stable foundation and flourishing wealth";
- **Placement direction**:
- Place it on the left side of the tea tray (Qinglong position) or the wealth position to enhance the effect of attracting wealth;
- Avoid being adjacent to dirty things to keep the metaphor of "innocence" intact;
- **Maintenance method**: Pour hot tea on the leaves, and the leaves will gradually become shiny, symbolizing "increasing wealth".
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### **Fourth, Modern Extension**
In the contemporary context, the meaning of tea pet cabbage is more diverse:
- **Workplace**: symbolizes solid ability and accumulation of success (such as "cabbage is ordinary, but it is the king of vegetables");
- **Interpersonal**: implies being honest and open in dealing with people and making good friends;
- **Environmental protection concept**: echoes the life attitude of "returning to nature" and advocates cherishing the gifts of nature.
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Tea pet cabbage carries the wish for abundance in a simple shape. It is not only an elegant embellishment between tea tables, but also a vivid epitome of traditional culture and life wisdom. Its meaning transcends time and space, and conveys people's eternal yearning for a better life in the tea tasting and cultivation utensils.