Joos Hypothesis

The Joos Hypothesis presents a materially derived reconstruction of a complementary Fish–Taijitu–Ruyi/Lingzhi form genealogy. The reconstruction originated from two complementary fish-like bottom signs, each associated with a separate dot interpreted structurally as an eye, observed on a pair of Chinese vases. When combined, the two signs form a counter-rotating double-fish/Taijitu configuration. The reconstruction was developed from the material objects before the subsequent identification of independent archaeological and historical parallels. In particular, Yuan Guangkuo’s archaeological research independently describes both the decomposition and recombination of fish motifs and a counter-rotating double-fish/salamander composition as a possible formal origin of the Yin-Yang fish. The Joos reconstruction supplies the specific complementary construction mechanism connecting these observations and, within this defined formal model, is proposed as a constructive completion of Yuan’s hypothesis. Further evidence traces a compositional sequence through double-fish/Taijitu, rotational Xixiangfeng structures, Ruyi/Lingzhi cloud-head compositions, and Qing/Qianlong court culture. A Qing court archival reference from 1768/1769 to a pair of polychrome porcelain vases with flowing clouds presented to Empress Dowager Chongqing is identified as a specific provenance candidate. The identification of the surviving physical vase pair with that individual archival entry remains a separate and presently unproven question. This Zenodo record contains the Joos Hypothesis Publication Record v2.1 together with the Evidence & Source Supplement v2.0 (Q01–Q32), documenting the claim-source concordance, evidentiary boundaries, comparative objects, counterhypotheses, and principal external sources. Author and research originator: Felix Joos.