The classic chengyu
囊萤映雪 (náng yíng yìng xuě, 'firefly-bag-on-snow') tells of poor scholars who studied by collecting fireflies in a silk bag (
晋代车胤 Che Yin) and reading by snow's reflected light (
孙康 Sun Kang) — the firefly is a symbol of perseverance through poverty. Studio Ghibli's 《
萤火虫之墓》 (Grave of the Fireflies) uses the same imagery.