I think info below is from 2006 book Everlasting Flower: a history of Korea by Keith Pratt , page 167, essay on traditional popular art:
"Mandarin ducks as a celebration of wedded bliss. Diamond Mountains as a haven of peace and beauty. Lotus as a metaphor for purity. Carp on bedroom wall as fertility charm. Pine trees as reminder of respect due to the elderly".
(also squeezed onto same 3 x 5 index card was "Tajan, brush name Ch'usa"--will have to re-research that to find out why I jotted that down!)
2003 picture book Land of Morning Calm : Korean Culture Then and Now by John Stickler tries to explain the multiple meanings of traditional symbols on current South Korean flag; even foods have symbolic meaning:
"Many little side dishes called banchan, offer a variety of tastes and textures including seafood, meats, soybean curd (tubu) and many different vegetables. Each meal would have a dozen or more different banchan that provided all the nutients for a complete meal. Not only were the dishes good for you, they were beautiful to look at, too. There were usually foods of five different colors on the table--red, green, yellow, white and black--representing the five elements; fire wood, earth, metal and water."
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