A Jungian Analysis of the Archetypal Image of the Fish From a Chinese Cultural Perspective

This article addresses and amplifies the symbolism of the archetypal image of the fish, particularly as it appears in Chinese culture, and is informed by C.G. Jung’s psychology. It examines how what Jung called the transcendent function is implied in the deep wisdom of the archetypal image from Chinese folklore, “A fish leaping over the dragon gate” (魚躍龍門). The archetypal image of the fish-shaped Yin-Yang symbol, representing the Tai Chi of Chinese Taoism, is used to demonstrate how the Tao can represent and parallel a special form of the personality development or individuation process that typically takes place in Jungian analysis. Finally, a brief clinical case study is used to explore and discuss the Chinese cultural perspective on the archetypal fish image and its symbolic representation of the so-called “feminine” pathway of individuation.