Cuckoo in the house
The Chinese porcelain decoration known as "cuckoo in the house" features a bird perched inside a window, along with other elements such as a garden with peony flowers, banana trees, a garden stone and in the sky one of two large birds, possibly phoenixes.
The name "cuckoo in the house" is not a direct translation from Chinese, but is an older name previously used in the antiques trade to describe this particular porcelain decoration. The name is believed to refer to the bird in flight returning to its house only to find another uninvited bird that has taken over. This term comes from the practice of cuckoos taking over the nests of other birds.
More recently, the name "cuckoo in the house" has been used to describe a different porcelain decoration featuring two birds sitting on an altar or assemblage of poles and pyramids surrounding a building under leafy sprays or branches. However, this usage of the name is incorrect and may have resulted from confusion or misattribution.
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