Mandarin ducks are the traditional East Asian symbol of a faithful, lasting marriage, because the birds are shown as a pair. In Vietnam they appear on roof tiles of the Ly and Tran Dynasty citadel in Hanoi as a wish for a marriage that held and a household at peace. That is why a mandarin duck motif works so well as a wedding gift: its whole meaning is the marriage itself.

Folk Form's Lotus Serenade scarf carries that pair of ducks, drawn under an open lotus. Here is where the symbol comes from, what it says, and how to give it well, including when not to.

Why mandarin ducks mean marriage

The mandarin duck is a small, brightly colored duck of East Asia. The drake is vivid, with orange sail-like feathers on its back; the female is a soft gray-brown. In art they almost always appear together. Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Vietnamese traditions all use a pair of mandarin ducks for a devoted couple, and in Vietnamese the name of the bird, uyen uong, is still used for two people who belong together.

The idea is not really about the birds. It is about the picture: two ducks that swim side by side, turn together and rest together. People who saw that picture wanted it for their own households, so they put it where the household would see it every day.

Where the Vietnamese motif comes from

At the Thang Long imperial citadel in Hanoi, excavations turned up roof tiles decorated with mandarin ducks and with lotus flowers, known as the "mandarin-duck tile" and the "lotus tile". They date from the Ly and Tran dynasties, between the 11th and 15th centuries. Duck figures appear even earlier, at Hoa Lu, the capital before Thang Long.

A pair of ducks on the roof of a palace or pagoda was a wish made in clay: a marriage that held, and a household at peace. The lotus beside them adds a second layer. In Buddhist art the lotus bud rises out of the mud and opens clean, a picture of purity and enlightenment.

Folk Form's Lotus Serenade

Our studio redrew the ducks and the lotus by hand from archive photographs of Ly and Tran art, then printed them by hand screen, one screen and one pass for each color, on both faces of 16 momme, Grade 5A mulberry silk. The edges are rolled and stitched by hand. It comes in three colorways:

See every size and color in the Lotus Serenade collection.

The silk is tested at the Textile Testing Center of the Vietnam Textile Research Institute, an independent lab, and every scarf box includes a small cutting of the same silk so the recipient can test it at home. ELLE Vietnam and Harper's Bazaar Vietnam have both covered our studio.

Which size to give

  • 36 inch (90 cm), $153: the size we suggest for a wedding. It is large enough to be a head wrap, a shoulder cover or a sleep wrap, so it gets used in ordinary weeks instead of being put away somewhere safe. See the 36 inch green and pink.
  • 26 inch (65 cm), $97: for a bridal shower or an engagement, or when a guest's budget is set.
  • 44 inch (110 cm), $197: a shawl, and the size that shows the whole design. If the couple would rather hang it than wear it, a framed square reads as a textile print.
  • 22 inch (55 cm), $75: a small token, lovely tied to a bag handle.

For what each size does in detail, see our silk scarf size guide.

Who to give it to

  • The bride, or the couple: a wedding gift that is not on the registry and outlasts most things that are.
  • Your wife or partner, on an anniversary: any year from the first to the twenty-fifth. On the 12th, silk is the traditional gift; see our 12th anniversary gift ideas.
  • A couple's parents: at the wedding, or on their own anniversary.
  • Valentine's Day: for a spouse or a long-term partner.

One gift for each of them

The ducks are about two people, so some guests give one piece to each: the Lotus Serenade scarf for her and a woven silk tie for him. Folk Form ties are 100% mulberry silk jacquard, from $61, and the pattern is woven in rather than printed, so nothing cracks at the knot. Browse our silk gifts for him. Together the two pieces make a matched gift without matching outfits.

When not to give it

Because the ducks mean marriage, they can land badly in the wrong hands. Do not send them to a woman who is single, or to someone for whom marriage is a painful subject after a divorce or a loss. For those moments, choose Phoenix Dance instead: the phoenix speaks about the person, not about a pair. Our guide to what Vietnamese silk motifs mean covers every design.

How to give it

Every scarf arrives in a rigid gift box with a printed story card that names the motif and its dynasty, an illustrated styling guide and a care card. Add your own message in the Order Notes at checkout and we write it by hand on a card. To ship straight to the couple, enter their address as the shipping address and yours as billing. No price appears anywhere in the parcel.

A line for the card:

"They are mandarin ducks. In Vietnam they have meant a marriage that held for a thousand years."

To complete the gift, add a silk-wrapped bead necklace: plain silk at $64 or printed at $75, with no clasp and nothing to size.

Order in time for the date

A wedding date does not move. Orders leave Hanoi in 1 to 3 business days, and US delivery takes 9 to 15 business days after dispatch, so allow up to 18 business days, about three and a half weeks. Shipping is free from $90, and we pay the US import duty. An unused scarf in its original box can be returned within 30 days; choose store credit and we add 15%.

Frequently asked questions

What do mandarin ducks symbolize at a wedding?

A faithful, lasting marriage and a peaceful home. Shown as a pair, they are a traditional wedding symbol in Vietnam and across East Asia.

Do mandarin ducks really mate for life?

Not in the way the legend suggests. Real mandarin ducks pair up for a breeding season, and the female sits on the eggs alone. The symbol comes from the picture of the pair, not from bird science, and it has held for centuries anyway.

What is the Vietnamese word for mandarin ducks?

Uyen uong. Folk Form's mandarin duck motif, Lotus Serenade, is called Uyen Uong in Vietnamese.

Which size should I give as a wedding gift?

The 36 inch (90 cm) square. It is large enough to be used every week as a wrap or shoulder cover, so it does not end up in a drawer.

Is a mandarin duck scarf a good anniversary gift?

Yes, for any anniversary, and it fits the 12th especially well, since silk is the traditional 12th anniversary gift in the US.

Can I send it directly to the couple?

Yes. Use their address for shipping and yours for billing, and add your message in the Order Notes. We write it by hand, and no price is included in the parcel.

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