Which one is better, turtle or carp?
My personal understanding is for reference only. The dictionary explains Ao as a big fish. Some of the Ao in tattoos are designed to look like dragon heads and fish bodies. I think it has something to do with the legend of a fish leaping over a dragon gate. Legend has it that a fish is a fish. When you cross the dragon gate, you become a dragon. It means that in ancient times, your status was different after you gained fame after taking the examination. If you get a tattoo of Ao, I think the saying is, as long as you work hard, hope is in front of you, and success is inevitable for you. This fish will definitely become a dragon. Carp is one of the most representative patterns in traditional tattoos. It was originally an auspicious animal that was quite popular in Asian countries. Carp has many symbolic meanings, because the pronunciation of "fish" is the same as "yu", which means there will be a surplus. The pronunciation of "carp" is the same as "profit", so carp is also used to symbolize income and profit in business. It is a tradition for Chinese people to have fish in their New Year's Eve dinner, which also represents good luck for the family in the coming year. They hope that their business will be running smoothly in the year and they will be able to accumulate savings. Not only that, fish is also widely used to explain the theory of Feng Shui. It can attract wealth and blessings, and can also prevent and avoid disasters.
In fact, the most widely spread legend about carp is the story of "carp leaping over the dragon gate". It is said that a carp that crosses the dragon gate can transform into a dragon, and conversely, a carp that does not cross the dragon gate remains a carp. Therefore, "the carp leaps over the dragon's gate" is often used as a metaphor for a person who, through unremitting efforts and struggle, finally changes his status and achieves success and creates miracles. In ancient times, it was often used to describe people who gained fame and entered officialdom after studying hard.
Carp patterns are also very particular in tattoos. The bigger the body, the more pointed the head, and the bigger and fuller the body. The color can be red, gold, black, etc. I think it all depends on personal preference... The head of the pattern can be upward or downward, and paired with water waves or lotus flowers, it can make the carp more vivid. Watching the carp swim freely between the skin, it seems to be swaying with the movements of the body. It’s up to you to decide~! Both are good~!