In Chinese mythology, bats are a symbol for good luck, as the Chinese word foo, which means ‘good luck’, is a homonym of the word for bat. For this reason, it can often be seen in Chinese art, as well as in architecture, both in its natural form and stylized as a logo, or both, as here on this temple door.

Here, above the gate of a palace in Hue, Central Vietnam, the stylized form is actually the body of the bat in its natural form. Placed above or on doorways, it suggests a wish of good luck from the landlord to those who enter or leave.