Having said that, according to Far Eastern legend, a carp that succeeded in swimming upstream in the Yellow River to leap over a place called the Dragon Gate would be transformed instantly into a might dragon. Hence a leaping carp came to represent good wishes for someone's success - in particular success in the governmental civil service examinations.

Paintings on screens of leaping carps are often found at the entrance to temples and government buildings; the screens are placed there not only for the above meaning but also because it was (still is actually) thought that evil spirits can only travel in straight lines and placing a screen in the entrance hall effectively stops them dead in their tracks.