Traditional decorative fish pattern is one of the most significant decorative patterns of the Chinese nationality. The fish pattern theme enjoys in China's traditional decorative pattern history the longest continuity, the richest connotation, and the widest application as well as the strongest decorative nature. The decorative fish pattern is employed as a unique artistic form to display the bright and booming life guided by our ancestors'romanticism and idealism. When positioned upon the entire decorative arena of China, the fish pattern is deemed with receding reproductive worship and decreasing wizardry, while its symbolic meaning about life is converted into a subconscious concept that's latent in our national culture. It is by no means a chance phenomenon, but is closely intertwined with our nation's beliefs and traditions, and is endowed with far-reaching influence on our national art and aesthetic pursuit.This paper delves into the traditional decorative fish pattern with its symbolic rheology as the theoretical basis, the content of which includes a discussion on the rheological change of the fish pattern shape from its original symbolic meaning to the modern decorative significance, in the above process reflecting the evolution of the way of thinking in traditional designs and the plastic art forms under different historical and social circumstances. Decorative fish pattern has been moved in a rheological fashion from totem worship, witchcraft, and religious ideas to the real life, in the process of which the decorative fish pattern has peeled off its original sorcery and mystery. Modern design of fish pattern asks more of its decorative nature, while still implies the connotation of conveying auspicious wishes. The traditional design ideas embodied in the rheological movement of the fish pattern could be referred to in our modern design. Designing should not be done in a way that treats culture merely as an ornament to raise its own value, satisfying itself in simply applying the traditional patterns and the symbols. That is absolutely inadequate. Or rather it should be done from a higher angle, contemplating our ancestors'subjective and objective understanding of the world. The traditional patterns and symbols can not act alone as our single goal; we should pursue more of the traditional design ideas with a view to enlightening our modern design. A large number of diagrams and examples are employed for argumentation in this paper, and the macro-research and taxonomy study method of historical development are adopted to make clear the author's views in today's perspective. Through research on the rheological movement of the traditional decorative fish pattern design the author intends to shed some light on the corresponding ancient design thoughts, which is indispensable to the modern design theory and practice, as it provides us with very good reference and enlightenment. |