We are able to see the unknown only when we go beyond time. That is why the poetry that comes from this unknown territory cannot but be wild, fresh, and alive, like a leaping carp.
Ok-koo Kang Grosjean, “Like a Leaping Carp”
In Asian culture, the family of fish is headed by the dragon. A carp that can jump the legendary “Dragon Gate” waterfall can be transformed into a dragon, with the same impressive scales. Thus, the term has come to mean a big change in one’s circumstances after hard work, such as passing the Imperial Examination, or a magical transformation.