The Chinese hibiscus has come to symbolize wealth and prosperity (because its Chinese name, fu-rong, sounds the same as the word for wealth and prosperity). The hibiscus also symbolizes the need for an upright person to maintain their own personal probity and decency. For these reasons, the hibiscus has for many centuries been a popular, auspicious subject for paintings. Having few opportunities to see hibiscus flowers during his daily life, Shiy De-jinn rarely painted them, a fact which makes this particular painting – “Hibiscus” – with its elegant green leaves and spectacular blossoms all the more precious.