Mascots

The Chinese have a relatively weak consciousness of religion.To pursue a better fortune and to avoid disaster,and pray for peace and happiness,the Chinese usually create some things which symbolize smoothness and luck and rely less on religion.These can be referred to as mascots.

These mascots take the shape of animals,plants and utensils.The most famous animal mascots include the Kylin,phoenix,dragon and tortoise,which are referred to as “four supernatural creatures” by the ancients.Among these,only the tortoise is an actual real animal.The other three were created by combining the characteristics of various animals using the imagination.

Mascots

The kylin is the most senior of the four creatures,and is the mount of God.It has the body of a deer,the feet of a horse,and the tail of a cow.Its body is covered in scales and a shell,with horns on its head,and meaty balls on the horns.In legend,the kylin is a kind of benevolent and virtuous beast.Although it has sharp horns,it never wants to hurt anything,even insects or grass.Emperors of all dynasties regarded it as a symbol of peace and prosperity.Later,as emperors began to pay more and more attention to the dragon,the kylin gradually assumed greater importance in civil society.It was then that the legend of “Kylins helping people have babies” began to spread among the people.The kylin not only helped people have babies,but also blessed them.Therefore,people often put kylin locks around the necks of infants to pray for long life.“Kylin” is often used to indicate an outstanding person.“Kylin Child” is a term used to praise other people’s children.The phrase “phoenix feathers and unicorn’s horn” is a metaphor for a rare and valuable person or thing.

The phoenix is the king of birds - beautiful and noble.Like the kylin,the phoenix only appears in an era of peace and prosperity.It is a symbol of auspiciousness,peace,political openness and fairness,as well as power and dignity.The names of all things related to the empress include the character of “Feng (phoenix)”.They include “phoenix body”,“phoenix crown”,and “phoenix sedan” and so on.Later,in civil society,the bride’s wedding dresses were often decorated with the pattern of phoenix.The phoenix crown on the bride’s head and the pattern of the phoenix on the dresses indicates good fortune and peace.The patterns of “prosperity brought about by the dragon and the phoenix” and “prosperity brought by the phoenix and the kylin” can be formed through the combination of phoenix and other mascots.The character “Feng” (“Phoenix”) can be often found in the names of girls.All Chinese parents hope their children can “become a dragon or phoenix” (“can have a bright future”).

The dragon ranks first among the four supernatural creatures.It has the head of an ox,the horns of a deer,the eyes of a shrimp,the talons of an eagle,the body of a snake,and the tail of a lion.Its whole body is covered in scales.It can walk on land,swim in the water,and fly in the air.It is so divine and magic that it can control the forces of nature.Since the Han Emperor Liu Bang’s (256 BC-195 BC) called himself the incarnation of the dragon,all other emperors followed his lead.The dragon is a symbol of power and dignity.The names of things related to the emperor often contain the character “Long” (“dragon”).They include “Long Yan” (“facial expression”),“Long Ti” (“imperial body”),“Long Pao” (“imperial robe”),and “Long Yi” (“imperial chair”),and so on.Ordinary people also regard the dragon as the embodiment of virtue and strength,and value its ability to control the forces of nature.The character “dragon” can often be seen in the names of boys.During festivals and holidays,people often paddle dragon boats and do the dragon lantern dance,and so on.In addition to authority,it is also a symbol of good luck or wealth.Many people put dragon ornaments in their homes,in particular jade dragons,which are particularly auspicious.The dragon is a symbol of the Chinese nation.All Chinese people around the world regard themselves as descendants of the dragon.

The tortoise is the only mascot that is a real animal.It has the longest life among all animals,so people regard it as a symbol of longevity.Because of its longevity and experience,people think it has the ability to predict the future.In ancient times,people would use the tortoise to practice divination in serious times.Based on the cracks in roasted tortoise shells,people would divine good or ill fortunes.Therefore,the tortoise is also known as the “divine tortoise” or the “sagacious tortoise.” In the past,the tortoise was extremely respected.Tortoises made of stone or bronze could be found in imperial palaces,the houses and tombs of ancient emperors,to symbolize the lasting fortunes of the country.The names of many people also include the character “tortoise”.Tortoise-shaped official seals appeared in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD),and tortoise-shaped tallies appeared in the Tang Dynasty (618-907).Different materials such as gold,silver and bronze,indicate the different statuses of people wearing ornaments.“Gold Tortoise Son-in-Law” refers to a husband with a noble identity.However,after the Tang Dynasty,the tortoise’s reputation began to suffer somewhat.If a wife was unfaithful,her husband was called a “tortoise” (“cuckold”).

In addition to the four supernatural creatures,the crane and deer are also mascots which embody good wishes.In civil society,people think the crane is a fairy bird,and the deer is an auspicious animal.The ancients believed: if the emperor could manage state affairs in the right way,and establish a logical administration and a harmonious people,a white deer would appear.The pronunciation of “deer” is the same as that of “Lu” as in “Guan Lu”.So it frequently appears in the picture of “the god of fortune,the god of prosperity,and the god of longevity”.Most Taoist immortals used cranes or deer as their mounts.The crane is beautiful and elegant,and gentle.“He Ming Zhi Shi” refers to a person who preserves his or her moral integrity and noble character; “He Fa Tong Yan” refers to an old person in good health and enjoying longevity; “Jia He Xi You” means the death of an old person.The combination of crane and pine can be often found in traditional paintings,because both of them symbolize longevity.Auspicious animals also include magpies announcing good news,and toads representing wealth.“Fish” has the pronunciation “Yu”,so it is perceived as a symbol of wealth.There must always be fish at a New Year’s Eve dinner.

Auspicious plants include: the pine,bamboo and mume flower,which are called the “Three Friends of Winter”; mume flower,orchid,bamboo,chrysanthemum,are called the “Four Gentlemen”.Throughout the winter,the pine remains evergreen; the mume flower defies frost and snow; the orchid is quiet and beautiful; the bamboo is firm and tenacious; the chrysanthemum is simple and elegant.All of these are symbols of a noble character,and also common subject matters used in the works of poets and writers.The locust tree represents official status; the orange tree has an auspicious meaning; the pomegranate tree symbolizes the blessings of children; the Chinese flowering crabapple symbolizes harmonious brotherhood; the lily also known as “Song Zi Xian” means “a harmonious union lasting a hundred years”.

Among auspicious utensils,the most famous is Ruyi,a room ornament and a symbol of good luck.Ruyi originally had a practical meaning.But it is inconclusive in terms of concrete forms.Some say it is a tickling thing; some say it is a scepter used by ancient officials when meeting the emperor; some say it is a musical instrument used by monks.Later,Ruyi became a utensil purely used for fun.Because of its auspicious name,Ruyi is often given as a gift.Ruyi is often combined with other things to express an auspicious meaning.For example,if Ruyi is put in the middle of two persimmons,it means that “everything has come off satisfactorily”.If it is put together with cypress and persimmon,it means “good luck”.If it is put together with persimmon and evergreen,it means “good luck in everything”.

The Chinese pay a lot of attention to the concept of luck,especially good luck.Attaching importance to life and pursuit of longevity and general well-being,are the eternal themes of Chinese mascots.

Gods of Blessing,Prosperity,Longevity,Happiness and Wealt

In China, folk worship prevai l s everywhere.A good example is the character of “fu” (meaning blessing) which is stuck on the right middle of front doors during Spring Festival.There is also the pious bow students make at the Wenchang Temple before the College Entrance Examination,the picture of the god of longevity used on birthday celebrations for the aged,the scroll hung above doorframes in farmhouses bearing the words “enjoying happiness everywhere”,and the eternally burning joss sticks and candles placed in front of the god of wealth in shops and restaurants.The folk worship of gods of blessing,prosperity,longevity,happiness and wealth is common in every corner of Chinese people’s lives.

Gods of Blessing,Prosperity,Longevity,Happiness and Wealt

The god of blessing started from the admiration of ancestors for Jupiter,a legendary master in charge of agriculture.Ancient people considered that the places shone on by Jupiter enjoyed good luck and blessing.Therefore,more than two thousand years ago there were already temples built by governments to offer sacrifices to Jupiter.During the Tang Dynasty (618-907),the image of the god of blessing changed.A prefectural governor of the Dao state called Yang Cheng was reputed to be the god of blessing.Previously,the Dao state was home to many short people and the royal court demanded that they serve as eunuchs.After Yang Cheng assumed office,he couldn’t bear to see the pain of common families being separated forever,so he risked death to submit a written statement to the royal authority.Finally,the practice was abolished.People recalled with deep gratitude his kindness and respected him as the god of blessing.After the Song and Yuan dynasties (960-1368),as the influence of Taoism deepened,the sky officer,one of three posts in the divine system of Taoism which include sky,ground and water,became the god of blessing.Since the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911),this image basically hasn’t changed significantly.

The god of prosperity came from the worship of the prosperity star by our predecessors.The prosperity star used to be one of the six stars in the Wenchang Temple and later evolved into the Wenchang Star with responsibility for prosperity.After the imperial examination system emerged in the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907),ordinary people could change their own fates by studying to secure official positions.As a result,the prosperity star came to be particularly admired.As the imperial examination featured in written articles,the star was also called the “civil star”.Although the god of prosperity was related to career prospects,becoming an official was,after all,an ambition for only a small minority and ordinary people were much more concerned about offspring.Then,in the Song Dynasty (960-1279),the god of prosperity became analogous to the God Zhang who was responsible for sending offspring.The picture of the god of prosperity we now see is of a ministry councilor embracing a baby.At present,the worship of the god of prosperity is mostly embodied in joss sticks and candles burning at the Wenchang Temple.Whenever there is an important exam,people go to offer sacrifices to the god of prosperity in the hope of being blessed.

The god of longevity also started from the worship of stars.But there is no consensus about which star it is.According to folk legend,the longevity star generally refers to the senior star in the South Pole.The ancients thought that if a senior star appeared,there would be political stability; if not,war was not far away.The functional range of the senior star keeps expanding,from the original power of deciding the life of a sovereign country to the life of ruling emperors and then to the life of all people in the world.Worship of the senior star in the South Pole started very early.After the unification of China by the Qin dynasty (221 BC-206 BC),there were already ancestral temples built to offer sacrifices to the longevity star.After the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911),the practice of celebrating birthdays for the aged gradually developed into a custom.Now birthday celebrations for old people always begin from the age of sixty and round numbers are greatly valued.In addition,the ages of sixty-six,seventy-three,eighty-four,seventy-seven and eighty-eight are also especially celebrated.Sixty-six implies great smoothness in the Chinese language.Seventy-three and eighty-four are the ages at which Confucius and Mencius died,so people consider these as obstacles that once overcome,will initiate a much longer life.Seventy-seven is regarded as a happy birthday and eighty-eight a rice birthday,because the Chinese characters of seventy-seven are similar to the cursive writing of “xi” (meaning happy) and the character pattern of eighty-eight derives from “mi” (meaning rice).

The gods of blessing,prosperity and longevity all stemmed from the admiration of stars,so they are always worshiped as a whole.In the commonly seen picture of three stars shining from on high,the blessing star stands in the middle with an auspicious article in one hand; the prosperity star,dressed like a ministry councilor and embracing a baby,is to the right of the blessing star; the longevity star stands on the left with a high forehead and white beard holds a stick and a peach in its hands.

The god of happiness is an imaginary figure in folk belief.It doesn’t have an astronomical origin or a particular look.The popularization of this god is much later than the three gods mentioned already.The god of happiness has no fixed image.In New Year pictures,some look like the sky officer while others resemble the god of wealth.After the Song Dynasty,pictures of ancestors were worshiped as the god of happiness in most cases.Pious worship of the god of happiness can be commonly seen in various customs and activities,particularly in weddings.Previously,the location of brides sitting in,and getting on and off,sedan chairs had to face the god of happiness.The specific direction,however,was calculated according to the sexagenary cycle and the Eight Diagrams because locations of the god of happiness varied on different days and at different time points.During the Spring Festival,besides posting scrolls like “enjoying happiness everywhere”,there are still other customs designed to welcome the god of happiness.The direction of this god can be looked up in the Chinese almanac (locations from the first to the fifth day in the first month of the lunar year are noted in the Chinese almanac).In the early morning on the first day of the lunar year,people wear new clothes and walk out of their homes to embrace the god of happiness,and cows,horses,donkeys and mules that are confined in pens throughout the winter are also released at this time so that they can run free.If these animals manage to surprise a wild chicken or a rabbit,it is regarded as an auspicious sign.

The god of wealth is in charge of money and treasure in the world.The emergence of the god of wealth can be dated back to the Song Dynasty.There is more than one god of wealth among the people: there are principal and assistant gods of wealth as well as civil and military gods of wealth.The most famous of them is the military god of wealth Chao Kungming.He used to be a figure in a novel during the Jin Dynasty (265-420) who was a ghost general engaged in taking the lives of others.In the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368),he appeared as a god of plague but gradually changed into a positive god who had the power to expel disease and disaster.In the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644),he evolved into a god of wealth.Worship of the god of wealth mainly happens around Spring Festival.On New Year’s Eve,people welcome the god of wealth; on the second and fifth days of the first month,they worship the god of wealth.In addition many shops and restaurants will pay respects to a god of wealth - Guan Yu - all year round.Guan Yu is a resolute and steadfast figure in the novel The Romance of the Three Kingdoms.Maybe it is because of his strong adherence to friendship and credit is a necessary quality for businesspeople that he is regarded as the god of wealth.

Connotation of Numbers

Originally,numbers used in daily life only represent symbols.Apart from symbols,they mean nothing.But through using them over time,people endow them many additional connotations.

The Chinese prefer even numbers.They hope “good things should come in pairs”; they expect “two happy events to come at the same time”,and they wish to “make the best of both worlds”.Lovers care deeply about “mutual gratification”,and newly married couples hope to “fly side by side”.Chinese people bless respected elders by saying “I wish you happiness and longevity” and praise others with the words “May you be endowed with both beauty and talent”.In addition,the number of plates on a table should be even,especially for formal banquets.After consulting with a feng shui practitioner,the dates on which marriages are held should be decided according to the lunar and solar calendar.The bridal chamber must be decorated with scissor-cut paper shapes like Double Happiness (Chinese characters).

Connotation of Numbers

The Chinese like all even numbers with the exception of “4”,because it sounds like the pronunciation of the Chinese character “Si” (death).The Chinese always avoid using “4” in phone numbers or license plate numbers.It is even more taboo to use “4” and “7” one after another,because it sounds like the pronunciation “Qi Si (wife dead)” or “Si Qi (dead wife)”.Despite the unfortunate connotation of “4”,it is often used in other circumstances.“4” represents a stable tetrahedron.Chinese people always aspire to being “Si Ping Ba Wen” (“steady and cautious)” in order to avoid errors when speaking,writing and handling affairs.Relaxed,slow steps are called “Si Fang Bu” (“solemn measured steps)”.“4” has multifaceted meanings.Neighbors are referred to as “Si Lin”,and looking around is referred to as “Si Gu”.Convenient transportation is called “Si Tong Ba Da”,and places across the country or the world are called “Wu Hu Si Hai”.“Si Da Jie Kong” means everything in the world is empty.“4” also can be used to offer summaries in some instances.The human body contains “Si Zhi (limbs)”.Poetry can be written in the form of “Si Yan (Chinese classical poem with four characters each line)”.The Chinese language has “Si Sheng (four tones)”.“Si Ji” means four seasons.“Wen Fang Si Bao” refers to writing brushes,ink sticks,paper and inkstones.

“6” sounds like “Lu” of “Guan Lu” (“official position”),which refers to official prospects.“6” also has the meaning of smooth.After Spring Festival,Chinese people often travel by train on the 6th or 16th day of the lunar New Year,because of the saying: “Leave home on the 3rd,6th or 9th day”.People think it better to set out on these days.The use of the phrase “66 Dashun (smooth)” is popular in folk society.What is the relationship between “6” and “smooth”? There are many interpretations.“6” in the Book of Changes represents “Yin Yao” (negative trigram); “66” represents the “Kun” (trigram),and has the meaning of good luck.Others say: “6” sounds like the pronunciation of “Liu” as in “Shun Liu (smooth)”; “66” has the meaning of very smooth.For this reason,Chinese people will solemnly celebrate their 66th birthdays.There are many words which contain the character “Liu (6)”.For example: “Liu Shu (six categories of Chinese characters)” is important in word formation; “Liu Yi” refers to the six classical arts of learning; “Liu Jing” means the Six Classics of Confucianism; “Liu He” means east,west,south,north,up and down; “Liu Chu” refers to pigs,cattle,sheep,horses,chicken and dogs; “Liu Qin Bu Ren” means no ties of friendship; “Si Liu Bu Dong” means belittling others and being unreasonable.

“8” pronounces like the pronunciation of “Fa” in “Fa Cai” or “Fa Jia” (“becoming rich)”,and so represents prosperity and wealth.For this reason,Chinese people prefer to use “8” for the dates of weddings,business openings,birthday banquets,phone numbers and license plate numbers,etc.Even the prices of commodities in stores often end in “8”.For example: if the time is 5:18 or if it is May 18,it is lucky because it means “I want to get rich”; if the time is 9:18 or September 18,it is lucky because it means “I am going to get rich”.Chinese people like “8”,and often use it to summarize many things.For example: “Ba Xian” means the Eight Immortals in myths and legends; “Ba Gua” refers to the Eight Diagrams mentioned in divination; “Sheng Chen Ba Gua” means the date of birth and the eight characters of a horoscope used in fortunetelling; “Ba Bai Zhi Jiao” means a sworn brotherhood; “Ba Yin” refers to the eight categories of musical instrument in an ancient orchestra; “Ba Gu” refers to the famous eight-part essay; “Ba Hang” refers to octonary in letters; in calligraphy “Ba Fen” refers to the calligraphy style- Kai Li; “Si Shi Ba Jie” refers to solar terms and the four seasons; “Si Mian Ba Fang” refers to the places all around; “Ba Xian Guo Hai” means the full display of people’s abilities; “Ba Mian Ling Long” means the tactful handling of affairs; and “Ba Zi Mei Yi Pie” means there is no sign of a positive outcome.

“10” is a symbol of perfection.The number “10” is often used for the selection of outstanding people in all walks of life.For example,we often hear phrases like “Top 10 Outstanding Youth” and “Top 10 Models”,etc.“Shi Fen Hao” has the meaning of very good; “Shi Zu De Huang Jin” means gold which is very pure; “Shi Quan Shi Mei” has the meaning of perfection in every respect; “Shi Na Jiu Wen” means being very certain.“10” also has additional meanings,such as “Shi Shi Jiu Kong”,“Shi Nian Shu Mu”,“Shi Li Chang Ting” and so on.

Among odd numbers,“9” is the most popular for the following reasons: First,it pronounces likes “Jiu” in “Chang Jiu (lasting)”; second,it is the largest positive number (the ancients regarded odd numbers as positive,and even ones as negative).The emperor is known as “Jiu Wu Zhi Zun”,with the meaning of the imperial throne.In the Book of Changes,“Jiu Wu” is the fifth Yao of the Qian Diagram,and is the best.“9” means this Yao is positive,and represents an extremely positive and flourishing phase.Qian symbolizes heaven,so “Jiu Wu” represents the emperor.The 9th day of the 9th lunar month is called the Double Ninth Festival.“9” is a positive number,and two “9’” mean doubling the positive number.The Double Ninth Festival is also known as a Festival for the Elderly.“99” sounds like “Jiu Jiu (long)”,and has the meaning of praying for the health and longevity of the elderly.“9” also has the meaning of “many”.“Jiu” in “Jiu Si Yi Sheng” (”escape from death)”,“Jiu Niu Yi Mao” (”a drop in the bucket”),“Yi Yan Jiu Ding” (”a word which carries weight”) and “Jiu Niu Er Hu Zhi Li” (”making tremendous efforts”) is not directly definitive but rather has more referential meaning.Consequently,multiples of “9” also have the meaning of “many”,which can be reflected in expressions such as “Shi Ba Ban Wu Yi” (”skill in wielding the 18 kinds of weapons”),“Nu Da Shi Ba Bian” (”A girl changes fast in physical appearance from childhood to adulthood”),“San Bai Liu Shi Hang” (”masters in every walk of life”),and “Jiu Jiu Ba Shi Yi Nan” (”too many difficulties”) and so on.“9”also has the meaning of “high and deep”,which is reflected in the expressions “Jiu Xiao Yun Wai (”throw to the winds”) and “Jiu Quan Zhi Xia” (”dwelling place of the dead”).In civil society,Chinese people like counting dates based on units of “9”.Starting from the first day after the winter solstice,every nine days is regarded as one unit.They are called First Nine,Second Nine,Third Nine and so on.The coldest time is called “Shu Jiu Han Dong”.

The number “7” is rather mysterious.For example: “Bei Dou Qi Xing” refers to the Big Dipper; “Er Shi Ba Xing Xiu” refers to the 28 stars,which includes seven stars in all four directions; “Qi Xian Nv” refers to seven fairies; “Qi Se” means ”rainbow”; “Qi Yan” means a poem with seven characters in each line; “Jian An Qi Zi” refers to the seven scholars of Jian’an; “Zhu Lin Qi Xian” refers to the seven sages of the Bamboo Grove.“7” also has a romantic color.The 7th day of the 7th lunar month is called the Begging Festival.According to folk legend,the Cowherd and the Weaver Maid will meet on that day.The Begging Festival is seen as China’s Valentine’s Day.In abbreviated internet language,“7” is often used to mean “wife” because it sounds like the pronunciation of “Qi (wife)”,and “527” means that “I love my wife”.“7”is also a bit unlucky in some instances.According to Chinese custom,“Shao Qi (fete)” should be held after people’s death.It shall be counted based on units of “7 days” commencing from the date when the person died.They are called the “First Seven”,the “Second Seven”,the “Third Seven”,the “Fourth Seven”,the “Fifth Seven”,the “Sixth Seven”,and the“Last Seven (Seventh)”.The mourning platform shall be set up for the fete in the morning and evening.It will last 49 days.People have different sayings about the source of “Shao Qi (fete)”.But they are all related to the belief that the soul continues to exist after death.In addition,the linking of “7” and “8” has the meanings of excessive and messy,which can be reflected in expressions such as “Luan Qi Ma Zao” ( “in a mess”),“Heng Qi Shu Ma” (“in disorder”),“Qi Zui Ba She” (“gabble”),“Qi Shou Ba Jiao” (“in a bustle”),and “Qi Shang Ba Xia” (“an unsettled state of mind”),and so on.

“5” is at the center of all multiples of 10,and is the number which balances Yin and Yang.“5” represents all.The ancients called the Five Elements the “Wu Xing” - gold,wood,water,fire and earth - which they thought of as the basic elements making up the world.There were “Five Emperors” in ancient legend.The central emperor among the Five Emperors was the Yellow Emperor,the progenitor of the Chinese nation.The “Earth of Five Colors” on the altar refers to the earth of five colors (green,red,yellow,white,black) selected from five directions,namely east,south,centre,west and north.Earth is selected from the whole country.“Wu Yin” refers to five tones,namely Gong,Shang,Jiao,Zhi and Yu.“Wu Wei” refers to the five flavours (sweet,sour,bitter,pungent,and salty).“Wu Zang” refers to the five internal organs (heart,liver,spleen,lungs and kidneys).“Wu Fang” refers to the five directions,namely east,west,south,north and centre.“5” has the meaning of “whole”.“5” also has the meaning of “various”.“Wu Cai Bin Fen” means being suffused with color.“Wu Guang Shi Se” has the meaning of bright colors and a variety of styles.“Wu Hua Ba Men” has the meaning of various and changing patterns.“Wu Hang Ba Zuo” means all walks of life.

“3” has the meaning of “many”,which is reflected in expressions such as “San Ren Xing Bi You Wo Shi” (“there is always someone to learn from”),“Wu Ri San Xing Wu Shen” (“Every day I examine myself time and again”),and “San Si Er Hou Xing” (“be prudent”).“San Bu Guan” means “nobody cares”; “San Bu Zhi” means “knowing nothing”; “San Chang Liang Duan” refers to an unexpected misfortune especially death.The linking of “3” and “5” means many times or a large number in general,which is reflected in expressions such as “San Fan Wu Ci” (“repeated”),“San Ling Wu Shen” (“repeated orders”),“San Wu Cheng Qun” (“in knots”),and “San Nian Wu Zai” (“in a few years”).“San Xin Er Yi” has the meaning of shaky will or inattentiveness.“San Yan Liang Yu” means “few words”.

“1” is the beginning of all things.“Jiu Jiu Gui Yi” means ending in a new start.“1” also has the meaning of being complete and unified,which can be reflected in expressions such as “Yi Tong Tian Xia” (“unify the whole country”),“Si Hai Gui Yi” (“unify”),and “Wan Zhong Yi Xin” (“all the people of one mind”).“1” also means being the most important.For example: “Yi Ba Shou” means the chief principal unit; “Yi Piao Fou Jue” means a one-vote veto which can be conducted in extreme cases.“1” also means being solemn and sacred.Some Chinese commemoration days of a political nature are on the first day of some months.For example: the day when the Chinese Communist Party was founded was July 1; the day when the PLA was established was August 1; the day when the People’s Republic of China was founded was October 1.

Implications of Colors

The Chinese language has a rich vocabulary and many words have multiple meanings.Words for colors,apart from their primary definitive meaning,always contain additional cultural meanings as well.

Implications of Colors

Red is the color most favored by Chinese people because it is a symbol of fortune and joy.At festivals or holidays,large red lanterns are always hung up,red “fu” characters (meaning “blessing”) are stuck on doors and pairs of red scrolls placed on walls,and older people often give red envelopes containing money to kids.On the occasion of weddings,brides put on red clothes and wear red veils over their heads while grooms wear red silk and flowers.Red candles are also lit on wedding nights.Red also signifies smoothness and success.Thriving businesses are described as “fiery red” and good luck is also dyed red.Red also has the connotations of revolution and progress.Revolutionary armies are called “the Red Army” and the revolutionary regime “the red regime”.The practice of demanding progress politically and studying businesses assiduously is described as “being both red and expert”.Red also represents authority.Documents issued by governmental organs are headed with red-font characters.Red is also believed to have the power to exorcise evil spirits,so people tend to wear red underwear and waistbands in their birth years.Red,moreover,can be used in a derogatory sense.People who become envious of others’ good fortune are depicted as having “red eyes” or “pinkeye”.

White has the most diverse symbolic meanings in the Chinese language.It stands for elegance and purity.Perfect people or things are portrayed as “flawless white jade”.A man who is of great moral integrity and is of good behavior is thought to be sinless.White also indicates justice and promising prospects.Telling good from bad is described as “making a clear distinction between black and white”.Proper and legitimate channels are called “white channels” which contrast with “black channels”.White is also a taboo however,because it is linked with death and disasters.When loved ones pass away,their families have to dress in white clothes and wear white flowers.Those defeated in war who come to surrender need to raise white flags.White symbolizes corruption and rebellion politically.Revolting armies are called “white armies” and opposition regimes “white regimes”.The pursuit of businesses with no intention of getting involved in politics is judged as “a white focused path”.White can also show insignificance,humbleness and shallow knowledge.Ordinary people are called “white folks”.

Black,similarly,has both negative and positive implications with the former always prevailing and the latter rarely seen except in the phrase “black-faced Bao Zheng” which conveys noble characteristics such as being impartial and incorruptible.Black is a symbol of darkness and evil.Confounding right and wrong is compared to “failing to distinguish black from white”,illegal channels are called “black ways”,criminal groups that carry out clandestine activities in society are called “black gangs”,money obtained from illegal means like embezzlement,bribe-taking and blackmailing is known as “black money” or “black income”,attempts to legitimize black money such as through bank deposits are called “black money laundering”,stores that operate without business licenses are called “black shops”,and vicious minds are called “black hearts”.“Bearing black pots” means taking the blame for others.

Yellow used to be a noble color symbolizing supreme status and power.The emperor’s dragon robes were yellow; ascending the throne was described as being “crowned with yellow robes”; imperials edicts were called “yellow scripts”,and “yellow jackets” were clothes that emperors in the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) conferred on important civil and military officials.Yellow also meant hope,wealth and glory.Days when everything went smoothly were chosen as “lucky days”.Later,however,yellow took on a symbolic meaning of vulgar taste.The word “yellow” in such phrases as “yellow films”,“yellow songs”,“yellow novels” and “wiping out yellow publications and cracking down on illegal activities” refers to pornography.Yellow also describes the process of growing aged and decadent,e.g.“a woman with a yellow face” and “yellow complexion and bony body”.

Green is a symbol of peace,friendliness,hope and vigor.Permitting something is described as “giving the green light”.Things that comply with the requirements of environmental protection are considered to be “green”,such as “green food” and “green transportation”.Easy,convenient and safe channels are “green channels”.Green also has a derogatory sense.A wife who engages in extramarital affairs is said to put a “green hat” on her husband.The implications of words for colors should be highly valued if you want to learn the Chinese language well.

Burning Paper Money

Every time when the Pure Brightness Festival,Spirit Festival (15th day of the 7th lunar month) or Spring Festival and any other traditional festival comes around,before the tomb or on the crossroads in the evening,fires will appear with black butterfly-like ashes flying in the wind,feeling so mysterious.This is the custom of burning paper money to worship the deceased.

There are many legends about the origin of this,one of which is associated with Cai Lun (61-121).According to the story,paper sold so well when papermaking had been improved by Cai Lun that his brother and sister-in-law followed Cai Lun to learn the skill.However,they were so anxious to achieve quick success and get instant benefits that they hurriedly opened a paper-making shop without mastering the necessary arts.As a result,the paper they made did not sell well owing to poor quality.The couple was very worried,and,in order to get out of difficulty,the wife thought of an idea.

Burning Paper Money

She pretended to have died from sudden illness one midnight.The sad husband cried over her coffin,burning paper.After a while,a voice came from the coffin.The people hurriedly opened the coffin,and the woman jumped out.The people present were all frightened.She explained that she had bribed the goblins in the underworld to make the mare go for her,and gave money to the King of Hell,so he would let her go back.The people wondered where the money came from.Cai Lun’s sister-in-law explained that the paper her husband burned was money in the underworld.People suddenly realized that the humble paper could play such a great role in the underworld,so they bought Cai’s paper and burned it to the memory of their deceased loved ones.As money could make the mare go,if their loved ones had money,they could suffer less,and perhaps could return to life.From then on,burning paper money has been spread far and wide.

There are varieties of paper money.One is made by cutting the white or yellow paper into a shape of a copper coin with a square hole.Another is made by knocking the iron-made money mold above the yellow paper with a mallet to produce the shape of money.There is one s made by printing,which has become more popular in recent years.Similar to the notes circulated on Earth,the paper money is printed with “Mingtong Bank” or “Heaven and Earth Bank” and so forth.It generally has brighter colors and bigger face values,and even paper money in dollar and euro is available.There are also gold and silver ingots folded with gold and silver foil paper.Paper money is usually burned,but also thrown to the sky along the route of the funeral procession,or hung on the graves,which are generally for the purpose of turning away the wandering ghosts,also known as money paid for passage,generally in the form of cut paper money.

Paper money should be burnt before the tomb,however,as many people have moved to other places,it is not so easy to do so now.So the alternative is to draw a circle with a piece of white chalk at an intersection,with the exit facing the direction of the tomb of the deceased.In order to make sure the accurate delivery by the postman in the underworld,the name and address must be clearly written on the envelope packed with paper money.Of course,a few pieces of paper money should be burned to the wandering ghosts first,to avoid theft.

Paper money will not only be burnt on Pure Brightness Festival,Spirit Festival and traditional festivals,but also on “Burning Seven” and “Burn Anniversary”.“Burning Seven” means that every seven days from the day of death constitute a memorial point,called the first seven and on to the seventh seven.Among them,the first,third,fifth and the seventh seven are the most important memorial days.According to folklore,the first seven is the time for the soul of the deceased to go home,so a memorial ceremony will be held at the dwelling,including burning paper money,lighting candles and serving food.On the other six memorial days,paper money will be burnt before the tomb.“Burn Anniversary” means burning paper money before the tomb on the first anniversary of the death,with other offerings also included.

Burning paper money has a long history in China,but it has often been criticized; for example,some of the poets in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) criticized this practice.Many people now pay attention to environmental protection and advocate an online memorial,however,as one of the ways to the living one’s comfort,the custom of burning paper money has continued.On May 18,2008,the State Council announced May 19 to 21 as the period of national mourning for the numerous victims of the Wenchuan earthquake on May 12 of that year.May 19 was just seven days after the day of earthquake,which was the first seven for burning paper money.

Double Happiness

In the traditional Chinese culture,except “four”,which is homophonic with with “death”,even numbers are generally considered auspicious.In our daily life,an even numbers of dishes will be prepared to entertain guests or celebrate the Chinese Lunar New Year.Also,gifts should be presented in pairs.Marriage or house building should be conducted on an even-numbered day.Even the character happiness posted for marriage is in pairs,too.

Speaking of the character double happiness,it is necessary to mention the double-happiness story of Wang Anshi (1021-1086) in the Northern Song Dynasty (960-1127).Legend has it that Wang,a famous thinker,reformer,poet and prime minister,went to the capital to sit the imperial examinations for a post as a minister in the court.On his way,while passing by a town,he saw the door of a big house was surrounded by a group of people pointing and discussing.Wang found that the house was soliciting a couplet to select son-in-law.It was said that this rich family had a daughter who was intelligent and beautiful,but nobody could win her hand,so her parents tried to couplet test to find a suitable candidate.

Double Happiness

Wang Anshi saw the “lead half” of a couplet on one of the pair of carousel lanterns reading: “Walking horse lantern,horse lantern walking,lantern extinguished,horse stopped.” Apparently,no one had come up with the “tail half” of this couplet,as the other carousel lantern was still blank.Wang appreciated the ingenious idea of the phrase,but,as he was hurrying to the capital he went on without seriously thinking about it.

In the examination,he performed very well and handed in the examination paper in a short time and was highly appreciated by the examiner.To further understand his talent,the examiner pointed to the flying tiger flag hung in front of the examination room saying: “Flying tiger flag,flag tiger flying,flag rolling tiger hides itself,” and asked Wang to match the couplet.When the young man looked up and found that it was the flying flag that made the tiger flying and the tiger hid in the flag when the flag rolled,he was suddenly inspired and answered without hesitation: “Walking horse lantern,horse lantern walking,lantern extinguished,horse stopped.” As soon as he stopped,there came a burst of applause,the examiner and the candidates present highly praised his couplet as being clever and harmonious.

Wang Anshi then rushed back to the big house without a halt.Fortunately,the carousal lantern was still blank,so Wang Anshi wrote: “Flying tiger flag,flag tiger flying,flag rolling tiger hides itself.” The girl rejoiced at this answer,and consented to the marriage.

Coincidently,on the wedding ceremony,the herald came to report that Wang Anshi had passed the imperial examination as the number one scholar.This was another good news,double happiness.The bridegroom was so ecstatic and wrote one more “happiness” next to the original one,and chanted a poem: “Coincidental couplets contribute to the Double Happiness song,horse lantern and flying tiger knot Siluo.Getting married and passing the highest imperial examination as the number one scholar,small Dengke and big Dengke coming together.” “Knot Siluo” refers to getting married.“Dengke” refers to passing the highest imperial examination,and “small Dengke” refers getting married,too.In the marriage,the bridegroom would drape a band of red silk over his shoulders and decorate it with colored silk festoons,ride a tall horse and strut in the street,as if he had successfully passed the highest imperial examination,so getting married is also known as small Dengke.

From then on,it has been a social custom.Both northern and southern Chinese will post the “Double Happiness” character for wedding.It has become a good luck symbol for people to pray for happiness,and “Good things come in pairs” has become the most common blessing.

Red Veil

“Lift your veil,let me see your face” - the song Lift Your Veil by Wang Luobin (1913-1996),a famous singer of Western China,is widely known.The veil in the song is a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony appl iance, which has had a thousand years’ history.As a result of the “Elimination of Four Olds” (referring to elimination of old ideas,old culture,old customs,old habits) in the 1960s,the traditional wedding ceremony together with the veil suddenly disappeared.In recent years,with the return of traditional culture,the red veil has appeared again in the wedding ceremony.

Red Veil

The veil is a five-feet square red silk,embroidered with coins or other ornaments in the four corners,and some are embroidered with Yuanyang (mandarin duck),dragon and phoenix or peonies,etc.Before leaving the parental home,the bride has her head covered; after worshiping heaven and earth at her husband’s family home and then entering the bridal chamber,the groom lifts the veil.A scale beam is a common tool to lift the veil,but a sword,chopsticks,ruler or whip may be used alternatively,implying different meanings.

Why a scale beam is used to lift the veil? In the ancient times,1 jin equaled 16 liang,and each liang was represented by a star,called “scale star”.It was said that the scale stars evolved from the stars in the sky,wherein,the first six represented Sagittarius,the next seven represented the Big Dipper,and the last three at the end of the scale beam represented the stars of fortune,prosperity and longevity.Lifting the veil with a scale beam implied complete satisfaction.

Dengzi,another kind of scale specially used to weigh gold,silver and jewelry,traditional Chinese medicine and other items,was also used to lift the veil,as Dengzi and “expecting son” were homophones,and Dengzi with many stars symbolized many sons.Chinese people believed the more sons,the more blessings,and having children and grandchildren were the greatest wish of the elderly.

Why is the bride covered by a veil when she is married? Folklorists have multiple interpretations,such as covering up embarrassment and warding off evil.The saying of covering up embarrassment originated from the Chinese first ancestor myth that at the beginning of the world,in order to reproduce offspring,Nu Wa was married to Fu Xi by covering her face with a fan made of cattail leaves to cover up the feeling of embarrassment.Later,this fan evolved into a veil.The veil has many aliases,including “embarrassment scarf”,which can be seen as the annotation of the function of covering up embarrassment.

Originally,the veil had as many colors as the bride’s clothing,and its red color was not finalized until later.In the minds of Chinese people,red not only means jubilation,but also can exorcise evil spirits.Nowadays,during their Benmingnian (the zodiac year of birth),people will wear red belt,red underwear and red socks in order to exorcise evil spirits.

There is also an old story covering the function of veil to exorcise evil spirits.According to legend,a man named Zhou Qian,also known as Zhou Gong,was a famous fortune-teller; however,his divination was repeatedly broken by the Peach Blossom Girl cultivated from a peach tree.That annoyed Zhou Gong so much that he pretended to entrust a matchmaker to propose to the Peach Blossom Girl on behalf of his son,for the purpose of doing harm to her on the way to the wedding.The Peach Blossom Girl turned his trick to her own use and agreed to the marriage.Zhou Gong chose a black day to marry the Peach Blossom Girl,but also called in evil spirits and turned them into rocks and stumps in roadside ambush to attack the Peach Blossom Girl.Having foreseen Zhou Gong’s conspiracy,on the day of wedding,the Peach Blossom Girl wore a red dress,covered her head with a piece of red cloth,and told those accompanying her to cover the strange rocks,stumps or whatever with red paper.In this way,the evils were suppressed by the red paper,Zhou Gong’s conspiracy collapsed,and the Peach Blossom Girl was wed.From then on,people followed the approach of the Peach Blossom Girl,and the red veil became popular.

The bride of today will usually wear a wedding dress,but will put on traditional clothing at the wedding feast.Nowadays,the bridal sedan chair has been replaced by a car,but it is still necessary to use red paper to cover the manhole covers which the bridal car passes.The traditional things are gradually returning to people’s daily life.

Birthday Celebrationand Longevity Celebration

Eating birthday cake,blowing out candles and singing birthday songs are commonly seen in birthday celebrations of many Chinese people,especially young people.However,the traditional birthday celebration in China is actually to eat longevity noodles.The reason for that is an interesting story.

Birthday Celebrationand Longevity Celebration

According to legend,Emperor Liu Che (156 BC-87 BC),who especially made a fetish of physiognomy,told his ministers: “According to the book of physiognomy,the longer the philtrum (the sunken part in the middle of a person’s upper lip),the longer the life expectancy.If a person’s philtrum is one inch long,he will be able to live 100 years.” Upon hearing that,Dongfang Shuo (162 BC-93 BC),a minister sitting next to him,could not help but laugh.The Emperor got upset and asked why he laughed.Dongfang Shuo hurried to say: “What your Majesty talked about reminded me of Peng Zu.If a 100-year-old person has a philtrum as long as one inch,then Peng Zu who has lived eight hundred years should have a philtrum as long as eight inches,so it is difficult to imagine how long his face is.” Upon his explanation,the Emperor and the other ministers laughed.As the conversation between Dongfang Shuo and Emperor Liu Che was spread to the folklore,“the longer face,the longer life” was changed into “the longer the noodle,the longer the life”.Since “face” and “noodle” are homonyms in Chinese,the long noodles became the birthday food for people to express their wishes for longevity.Even now,people will cook a bowl of noodles on their birthdays,some can even make a long unbroken longevity noodle.

Birthday has different terminologies for people of different ages.Children’s birthday is called growing a tail,while the elder’s birthday is called longevity celebration.However,if the parents of a person aged 50 or more are still alive,the birthday celebration should not be called longevity celebration,otherwise,the life of the person’s parents will be reduced.

China has a tradition of respect for the elderly,so the birthday of the elderly has always been especially valued.In general,the 50th,60th,70th,80th and 90th birthday should be grandly celebrated, but the celebration should be one year in advance,for example,the 80th birthday should be celebrated when the person reaches 79.

There is something special about the longevity celebration for the elderly,that is,a longevity hall must be arranged whether in a restaurant or at home.On the wall in the middle of the central room or the living room,should hang a painting,which can be a big “longevity” character or pine and crane symbolizing longevity.On both sides of the painting,there should be longevity couplets,the content of which pay a compliment to the elderly person’s successful career and happy family,or eulogize the moral character.Some of the longevity couplets are simpler and suitable for all the elderly,such as “May your fortune be as boundless as the East China Sea and may you live a long and happy life!” Red candles cannot be excluded,but making a wish and blowing out candles are in absence,as they mean death in Chinese.

In addition to longevity noodles,longevity peach is also essential in the celebration.Longevity peach has an even longer history,which can be traced back to Sun Bin (? - 316 BC) in the Warring States Period (475 BC-221 BC).

According to legend,Sun Bin left the family and learnt the art of war from Guiguzi when he was young.During twelve year of study,he never returned home.But one day,Sun Bin suddenly remembered it was his mother’s birthday,so he asked his teacher for leave to go home.The teacher approved his application and gave him a peach,which was actually a celestial peach flowering once in 3,000 years and bearing fruit once 3,000 years for the Queen Mother.

Sun Bin presented this unusual peach to his mother.When she ate it,a miracle happened: her face became younger and younger,her white hair gradually darkened.Learning that Sun Bin’s mother became younger after eating a peach,people began to present peaches to their parents on their birthday.However,peaches were not available all the year round,so what’s to be done when not in season? Smart people figured out the solution of making flour into a shape of peach and steaming it,thus the longevity peach came into being.

Since the Western birthday cake was introduced to China,people have not only enjoyed the romance and convenience of it,but also added Chinese elements.For example,when celebrating the advanced years of a person,people will usually add a longevity peach to produce a birthday food with a combination of Chinese and Western elements.

Full Month Party and Grabbing Test

The Chinese used to believe that “there are three forms of unfilial conduct,of which the worst is to have no descendants.” Giving birth to and raising children constitute a major event for Chinese family,especially giving birth to sons.Therefore,a series of celebration activities will follow after the birth of a child,of which the most typical are full month party and grabbing test.

The earliest record of the full month party was in the Tang Dynasty (618-907),Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi (628-683) entertained lavishly for three days to celebrate his son’s completion of his first month of life.Later,as the full month party entered folklore,the ordinary people also held full month parties for their children.At the party,the mother or grandmother would carry the child from one table to another to recognize people,and the relatives and friends would say something to praise the child.In some places,the relatives and friends would also take a few red eggs back after the full month party.Today,a newborn will only appear in a video probably out of consideration for its health.

Full Month Party and Grabbing Test

In many places,there is another custom that,after the full month party,the mother will take the child back to her parental home to live for some time,which was called house moving.In some other places,the child should have his head shaved upon completion of his first month of life,and the lanugo hair shaved off will be kept in a red cloth or made into a brush or some other handicraft as a souvenir.

As the child grows up,the elders will place an infinite expectation on him and they are anxious to know what will he be after grown up,whether he will have a promising future? Hence the grabbing test,also known as the “test for the infant”,conducted upon the completion of his full year of life.The custom of grabbing test is said to be found as early as the Three Kingdoms period (220-280).According to legend,soon after Sun Quan (182-252),monarch of Wu (222-280),became the king,the crown prince died in his bed,so Sun Quan had to select a new heir.At this time,a man came to tell Sun Quan that,in the process of selection he should not only focus on whether the prince showed honest virtue,but also focus on whether the son of the prince had talent,and then he told the king the method to find out the children’s future.Convinced by what the man said,Sun Quan chose an auspicious day,and asked all the princes to bring over their sons and let them grab from jewelry,ivory,rhinoceros horns,bamboo slips,ribbons and other things on a plate.Some of them grabbed jade,some grabbed the rhinoceros horns,but only Sun Hao (242-284),the son of Sun He (224-253) grabbed the bamboo slips and ribbons.Sun Quan was overjoyed,and then appointed Sun He as the crown prince.However,the other princes refused to accept this decision and respectively associated with ministers,and the struggle started.Sun Quan was forced to abolish Sun He and appoint Sun Liang (243-260) as the crown prince.After the death of Sun Quan,Sun Liang was overthrown after only seven years of reign,and Sun Xiu (235-264) took the throne.After the death of Sun Xiu,since his son was still very young,the ministers wanted an older prince as the king,so Sun Hao,who was just over 20,was selected.Sun Hao reigned for 14 years,longer than the previous three kings.For this,people silently admired the test method.

Later,this method spread to folklore and gradually became a custom,and has continued to the present.When a child completes its full year of life,adults will put tools,stationery,books,weapons,daily essentials and so on in front of it to grab freely.If it grabs a seal,they will say the child will be an official; if it grabs stationery,they will say the child will be good at writing; if it grabs an abacus,they will say the child will be good at financial management; if it grabs a green onion,they will say the child will be smart,because “onion” and “smart” are homonyms in Chinese.In short,people can say a good word about anything the child will grab.Even if it grabs food,they will say the child will be lucky in having food,rather than say it is greedy.Whether this method is reliable seems less important than giving an opportunity for people to express good wishes for their children’s future.

“Mendang Hudui”: Interesting Words and Expressions

There are many interesting words and expressions in Chinese.Why,for example,is attaining a certain degree of knowledge called “Dengtang Rushi”? Why is a tutor is called “Xixi”,and son-in-law called “Dongchuang”? What does it mean by looking for a partner in marriage who should be “Mendang Hudui”? Among them,“Tang,Shi,Xi,Chuang,Men,Hu” are related to the traditional houses.

In the phrase “Dengtang Rushi” or “Shengtang Rushi”,“Tang” refers to the hall,“Shi” refers to the inner chamber.“Shengtang” is compared to just starting to learn,“Rushi” is compared to attaining a higher realm.Here’s a story: Zi Lu,a valorous student of Confucius,was good at playing musical instruments.One day he played the Guse in the house of Confucius,and the latter,who advocated “benevolence”,found that the music was filled with the emotion of slaughter and did not sound gentle,so he issued a reprimand.Hearing that,the other students assumed the teacher was unhappy with Zi Lu’s musical performance and talked of him behind his back.Upon noticing that,Confucius explained: “You have passed through the hall,but not into the inner chamber.” “You” is the name of Zi Lu.That means Zi Lu has learned the rudiments of music,but has not yet reached a higher level.Upon hearing that,the disciples changed their attitude to Zi Lu.Later,people used “passing through the hall into the inner chamber” (“Dengtang Rushi” or “Rushi Shengtang”) to refer to the different levels of learning.Still later,this idiom was used to praise a person having reached a higher level in the study of knowledge or technology.

“Mendang Hudui”: Interesting Words and Expressions

Calling teacher “Xixi” (“Western Seat”) is associated with the Han Emperor Liu Zhuang (28-75).When he was the crown prince,Liu Zhuang took Huan Rong (? - about 59) as his teacher and showed him particular respect.After ascending to the throne,Liu Zhuang continued to treat the teacher just the same.Every time he went to visit the teacher,he asked the teacher to sit on the seat facing east,respectfully prepared the console table for him,and then listened to his lecture.He paid a visit to the teacher when he was sick,and attended the burial ceremony when he died.Because the emperor asked the teacher to sit in the western seat facing east to express his respect,people called the tutor Western Seat,and then all the teachers were called this.

“Dongchuang” (“Eastern Bed”) is to respectfully address the sons-in-law of others.There is also a story about this.According to legend,in the Jin Dynasty (265-420),Taifu Xi Jian (269-339) had an intention to marry his daughter into the Wang family as he heard that Prime Minister Wang’s sons and nephews were all endowed with both beauty and talent.The proposal met with approval and Wang said he could choose whoever he wanted from the sons and nephews who had stayed in the eastern wing.In the hope of being selected to be the Xi’s son-in-law,Wang’s sons and nephews all dressed up,except one who seemed not care at all,and lay in bed baring his chest and exposing stomach.After hearing the report about the situation of each candidate,Xi Jian unexpectedly selected this young man,believing he had a gentlemanly manner and would have a promising future.This turned out to be Wang Xizhi (303-361),later known to the world for his calligraphy.From then on,“Eastern Bed” was used to respectfully address the sons-in-law of others.

Why did Xi Jian want to become related through marriage with the Wangs? The excellence of Wang’s children is one of the reasons,but more important was the strong concept of family status in the Jin Dynasty.Since the Wangs were an old and well-known family,it could be said that the Wang and the Xi were “Mendang Hudui” (fairly well matched).

“Mendang Hudui” means that the families of the bride and bridegroom are of equal status and have the same economic strength.This concept of family status still exists in China.In fact,Mendang and Hudui were originally a part of the door of the traditional house.The door was as important as the face,symbolizing the identity and status of the house owner.Therefore,people were very particular about decoration of the door.

Mendang referred to a drum-shaped stone block in front of the door,on which lions (nine generations living under one roof),deer (same pronunciation with prosperity in Chinese),bat (same pronunciation with blessing in Chinese) and so on were carved,implying auspiciousness and happiness.Since a house generally had two doors,the Mendang should be in pairs accordingly.Hudui referred to the brick and wood carvings on the lintel or on its sides.The house that had Mendang in front of its door was bound to have Hudui,so Mendang and Hudui were usually called collectively.The size of Mendang and the quantity of Hudui symbolized the house owner’s wealth and power,therefore,Mendang and Hudui could not only get rid of ghosts and protect the family,but also acted as an important symbol of the house owner’s identity and status.Later,Mendang Hudui became a condition for a marriage,and the families of the bride and bridegroom of different status would be called Menbudang Hubudui.

Beancurd - Make the Best of Mistake

In Huainan City,Anhui Province in China,there is a two-part allegorical saying: “Liu An made Beancurd - make the best of mistake.” Who is Liu An? What’s meant by “make the best of mistake”?

Liu An (179 BC-122 BC),the third generation King of Huainan,was a grandson of Han Emperor Liu Bang (256 BC-195 BC) and an uncle of Emperor Liu Che (156 BC-87 BC).The famous Huainanzi was compiled by his hangers-on under his calling.

According to historical records,Liu An inherited the peerage from his father at sixteen and became King of Huainan.He was smart and fond of reading.Thousands of his hangers-on had their own strong points,some of whom were good at alchemy.

Beancurd - Make the Best of Mistake

Alchemy was a route for making pills of immortality in ancient times,which had existed prior to the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD).In the Han Dynasty,it can be said that Liu An was the first person obsessed with alchemy.He usually picked a variety of minerals and plants from the mountains to make pills,and used bean juice as the mother liquor of them.One day,while he was making pills as usual,he carelessly poured the bittern into the bean juice.After a while,he was surprised to find that the thick bean juice gradually congealed into something as pure white as jade and as tender as cream.While everyone was shocked by this,one of them took a bold taste and could not help but exclaim: “How delicious it is!” Since then,beancurd came into being.

Just as gunpowder was invented due to a mistake in alchemy,beancurd was made by making the best of mistake.After that,Liu An continued to study and improve this mistaken method and passed the production method of beancurd to the local people.As more and more people know the method,it was gradually spread all over China.

The production method of beancurd was also spread abroad.Monk Jian Zhen (687 or 688-763) went to Japan and took the method with him in 753.In the Song Dynasty (960-1279),the method was introduced to Korea.In the mid-nineteenth century,the missionaries brought the method of making beancurd from China to Europe and Americas.By the twentieth century,beancurd has gradually developed into a worldwide food.
Nowadays,more and more types of beancurd are available,and the production methods have become more and more sophisticated.In terms of origin,we have southern and northern beancurd; in terms of production method,we have big beancurd,small beancurd,dried beancurd,beancurd skin,jellied beancurd,as well as fermented beancurd and strong-smelling preserved bean curd,etc.

Beancurd is a standing dish of the common people,which is not only inexpensive,but also nutritious,suitable for both children and adults.In some places,beancurd is also an essential dish on special days.For example,beancurd cannot be excluded in the New Year’s Eve dinner in some places,as “beancurd” and “all are blessed” are homophonic,for the sake of auspiciousness.While in some other places,it is an essential dish in conducting funerals.If someone told you he had a beancurd dinner,it means he offered his condolence to the deceased.“Beancurd dinner” refers to the dinner prepared to entertain the friends and relatives who come to offer condolences.Why so? It is supposed that the white color of beancurd symbolizes the deceased’s unblemished life or symbolizes the funeral affairs.There is another saying that it is supposed to have a vegetarian diet rather than have lavish meals at funerals,and beancurd is the first choice.The latter saying seems more credible.But the origin of “beancurd dinner”has been lost.

Accompanied by beancurd for more than two thousand years,the Chinese people have created a huge number of related idioms.For example,“brine forms the beancurd - one thing always overcomes another”,“beancurd mixed with chopped green onion - perfectly clean”,“beancurd strung on horsetail - you can’t lift it”.As another example,you may advise others not to be so hasty by saying “Don’t get anxious to eat hot beancurd”; if a person is too short,you may say “three beancurds piled up are higher than you”; feeling remorseful and angry for your doing stupid things,you may ridicule yourself by saying “I should buy a piece of beancurd and kill myself”; a man philandering a woman is called “eating beancurd”,or “eat someone’s beancurd”.So,if you like beancurd,you can say “I like eating fried beancurd,quick-fried beancurd,stewed beancurd,cold beancurd...”,but do not say,“I like eating beancurd”.

No Food Is Better Than Jiaozi

As the saying goes: “No food is better than Jiaozi,nothing is more comfortable than lying”.Jiaozi is one of the most popular foods among the Chinese people.At every festival,such as the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month,New Year’s Eve,Spring Festival,the fifth of the first lunar month,the Winter Solstice,the first day of the beginning of the hottest part of the summer,etc.,people will make Jiaozi.As an old saying goes “Jiaozi for welcoming,noodles for seeing off”,the host will make Jiaozi at home to entertain a friend from afar.

It looks troublesome,but actually it is very simple to make Jiaozi.Only flour,meat,vegetable and various spices are needed to prepare.For minced meat,you can choose pork,beef and lamb,as well as fish,shrimp,and so on.More choices for vegetable are available,such as Chinese cabbage,celery,leek,fennel,green pepper,pumpkin and tomato to meet your personal preferences.As the saying goes: “Soft dough for Jiaozi and hard dough for noodles”,the dough for making Jiaozi should be kneaded and rolled repeatedly,so that the perfect Jiaozi with big stuffing and thin skin can be made.To mix Jiaozi stuffing,you should first mix minced meat with the spices,and preferably add a raw egg,so that the stuffing is “fat but not greasy,thin but not bony”,and then add vegetables,and finally salt.In this way,the oil can wrap the water,so that the stuffing can lose less water.Jiaozi contains staple food,meat and vegetables,in line with the requirements of nutritional balance.

No Food Is Better Than Jiaozi

There are many legends about the origin of Jiaozi and this is the most widely circulated:

In the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220),Zhang Zhongjing (150-219) who had just resigned from his official post,was on his way back home.He saw ordinary folks suffering hunger and cold and their ears were frostbitten,so he had someone boil a big pot of soup with mutton and a number of Chinese herbal medicines for dispelling cold and emitting heat.He then removed and minced the mutton and the herbs,inserted them in wrapping and boiled them again.As they were shaped like ears and for the purpose of treating frostbitten ears,Zhang Zhongjing called it “Jiao ear”.As this “Jiao ear soup for dispelling cold” had a good effect,the folks ate it from the Winter Solstice until New Year’s Eve,and their frostbitten ears healed.“Jiao ear” is today’s Jiaozi.After Zhang Zhongjing passed away,people made Jiaozi on the Winter Solstice to commemorate him and in the belief they would not have frostbitten ears in winter after eating Jiaozi at the Winter Solstice.There is still a saying in the southwest region of Shandong: “If you don’t eat Jiaozi at the Winter Solstice,no one will show mercy to you for your frostbitten ears”.

Jiaozi has a long history,and there is inevitably something special about the process of making,arranging,boiling and eating.

On Chinese New Year,a piece of clean coin is usually put into one of the Jiaozi,and the one who eats the Jiaozi containing the coin is believed to have good luck.Jiaozi can be diversified in shape; some are shaped like a gold ingot,and some are shaped like the ear of wheat,symbolizing wealth and good harvest.In some places,there is a saying to the effect that the one who can make beautiful Jiaozi will have a beautiful boyfriend or girlfriend in the future,so young people take learning the skill very seriously.

There is also something special about arranging Jiaozi.As the saying goes: “No matter how busy you are,don’t arrange Jiaozi in a mess”,meaning that you may arrange Jiaozi in any way you like at ordinary times,but that’s not the case at New Year.Ways of arranging vary in different places,some arrange them into a circle from inside to outside,which is called “Quanfu” (meaning circling happiness or blessings),but some places place a taboo on arranging in this way,in the belief it indicates the onset of a worse and worse life,and they prefer arranging transversely,which indicates profits pouring in from all sides.

If Jiaozi is boiled until it is broken,we will not say “Po” or “Lan” in Chinese,but say “Zheng” (meaning “earning”).There is a story that a rich man hired a chef to make Jiaozi; the chef was surnamed Pei,having the same pronunciation with “losing” as in “losing money” in Chinese.When the chef was boiling Jiaozi,the rich man asked him: “Zheng or not?” Unexpectedly,the chef pledged: “As long as I am here,it is impossible to Zheng!” Originally,the rich man wanted to ask for blessing words,as there was food in Jiaozi,meaning “There is money” in Chinese,“Zheng” meant “earn money” in Chinese.So the chef’s answer upset him,but he could not complain about anything,because the chef was just boasting his skill.

There is also something special about eating Jiaozi.In some places,it is a must to eat an even number during the Chinese New Year,as eating odd number indicates something ominous will happen In some places,during a wedding,the mother-in-law will present the bride with Jiaozi,and then ask: “Raw or not?” The bride should answer: “Raw!” If an honest bride answers: “Not raw,not raw at all”,her mother-in-law will be upset.Why? That’s because “raw” and “give birth to” are homonyms in Chinese.Chinese people attach great importance to a flourishing population,and the mother-in-law is just asking for blessing words.

There used to be a saying: “Every family eats Jiaozi on Chinese New Year”,meaning that no matter how poor a family was,this would be part of the holiday menu,indicating that Jiaozi is a Chinese New Year food and poor families cannot afford to eating it at ordinary times.Nowadays,everyone can eat it whenever they want.There are a variety of frozen Jiaozi in supermarkets,and the taste has become ever closer to the taste of those made at home.However,if they are available,people are still willing to buy meat and vegetables to take back home,and make Jiaozi together with their family members or friends while chatting.At this time,what they focus on is a spiritual enjoyment of affection and friendship,rather than what to eat.

Modest and Tasteful Zhongshan Suit

Zhongshan Suit is a men’s suit named after Sun Zhongshan (1866-1925),also known as Sun Yat-sen,China’s revolutionary pioneer.Zhongshan Suit can be said to be a revolution in the history of Chinese clothing.

Clothing is part of the ancient ritual system,and changes of dynasties were usually accompanied by changes of clothing.As the leader of the revolution against the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911),Sun Zhongshan naturally took note of this.Back in 1912,Sun had proposed his idea to create China’s own dress,which should be easy to wear,economical,good-looking and China-made.He believed that full dress was a matter of state that could not be treated lightly.Therefore,he was personally involved in creating the new garment.

There are different opinions as to the origin of Zhongshan Suit.Some say that it was modified from the Japanese cadet uniform; others say it was modified from a popular dress of the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia.However,as this new dress is designed and advocated by Sun Zhongshan himself,people named it Zhongshan Suit.

Modest and Tasteful Zhongshan Suit

The upper part includes a standup lapel,double breasted,five buttons in the front,three buttons in the cuff,four out pockets,a pocket flap shaped like a reversed penholder and no slit in the back.The lower part is a pair of Western-style trousers.This design is embodied with meaning as follows: the four outside pockets represent the four dimensions of a country (values of propriety,righteousness,integrity,and honor); the five buttons in the front represent the Separation of the Five Powers (executive power,legislative power,judicial power,examination and supervision); the three buttons in the cuff represent the Three Principles of the People (nationalism,democracy and people’s livelihood) on one side,and the idea of republicanism (freedom,equality,fraternity) on the other side; no slit in the back represents the righteous cause of the peaceful reunification of China; the closed collar represents the rigorous concept of state administration.

Since its birth,Zhongshan Suit has been endowed with a political significance.To commemorate Sun Zhongshan,the KMT Central Committee designated it as the dress for KMT party and government officials,and all the civil officials should wear it when swearing an oath.Later,Zhongshan Suit was set as the uniform of the national government.Wearing Zhongshan Suit was mandatory at the start,and gradually became part of people’s consciousness,and some advocates of freedom and progress were proud of wearing.The authorities,schoolteachers and students,and even store clerks wore it.Zhongshan Suit gradually became a symbol of revolution and progress,such that it was suggested that those wearing it should not have access to public places of entertainment.This suggestion was not adopted,but you can see the sacred status of Zhongshan Suit in people’s minds.

Zhongshan Suit was initially the sign of the KMT members,but then became the sign of the Communists.Whether in Yan’an or in Chongqing during the period of Kuomintang-Communist cooperation,the Communists always wore it,too.During the KMT party purge expansion (1927-1928) and the Japanese imperialist invasion of China (1931-1945),those who wore Zhongshan Suit were usually arrested as Communists.After the founding of the PRC in 1949,it was still a dress for the Communist Party leaders to attend major occasions.Mao Zedong,Zhou Enlai,Deng Xiaoping,and so on,usually wore it; Hu Jintao was also wearing Zhongshan Suit at the parade for China’s 60th anniversary.

Since Zhongshan Suit was a symbol of revolution and progress,it naturally became fashionable apparel in that fiery revolutionary era.Whether in the Republican period (1912-1949) or between the fifties and the seventies after the founding of the PRC,it was fashionable to wear it.Even now,Zhongshan Suit can still be found in some important occasions.

12 Chinese Zodiac Signs

In China,there are various ways to ask about a person’s age.Such as “How old are you?” (to children),“What’s your age?” (to the young people),“Can I ask how old you are?” (to quinquagenarians),“May I know your age?” (to the elderly),and so on.In addition,you may ask “What sign were you born under?”

The latter refers to the Chinese zodiac signs comprising 12 animals,which represent the 12 Earthly Branches and are used to symbolize the year in which a person is born.A person will resemble a certain animal corresponding to the year he or she is born.

Before talking about Chinese zodiac signs,let’s talk about Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches first.Heavenly Stems refer to Jia (the first),Yi (the second),Bing (the third),Ding (the fourth),Wu (the fifth),Ji (the sixth),Geng (the seventh),Xin (the eighth),Ren (the ninth) and Gui (the last),while Earthly Branches refer to Zi (the first of the 12 Earthly Branches),Chou (the second),Yin (the third),Mao (the fourth),Chen (the fifth),Si (the sixth),Wu (the seventh),Wei (the eighth),Shen (the ninth),You (the tenth),Xu (the eleventh) and Hai (the last),both of which have been traditionally used as symbols to indicate order.Each of the ten Heavenly Stems is paired with an Earthly Branch,forming Jiazi,Yichou,Bingyin,Dingmao...until Guihai,a cycle of sixty pairs.This cycle is called one Jiazi,meaning a cycle of sixty years,so that age is also called “the year of Huajia”.After that,the cycle starts from Jiazi again.Repeating in endless cycles in this way,they can be used to represent the sequence of year,month,day and time.In ancient times,Stems and Branches were mainly used to count days,but also to count years,months and even hours.Even now,the traditional Chinese calendar still uses Stems and Branches to count years.

12 Chinese Zodiac Signs

The method to designate the years by the Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches came into being in the 3rd century BC during the period of the legendary Yellow Emperor,and was first used in the Central Plains, while the Northwest Minority regions designated the years by animals.Later in the ethnic exchanges that occurred,these two dating methods integrated to form the current twelfth Chinese zodiac signs.Archaeological excavations have confirmed the zodiac signs came into being as early as the Spring and Autumn period (770 BC-476 BC).

Under the system,one Earthly Branch strictly corresponds to one animal,that is,Zi Rat,Chou Ox,Yin Tiger,Mao Rabbit,Chen Dragon,Si Snake,Wu Horse,Wei Sheep,Shen Monkey,You Rooster,Xu Dog and Hai Pig.

One might ask: why were these 12 animals chosen and how are they ranked? Scholars have their own explanations,and then there are folk legends as well.

Scholars have explained that the 12 Chinese zodiac signs originated from people’s worship of animals in primitive times,and their ranking is associated with animal living habits,for example,Zi Shi runs from 23:00 to 01:00,when rats are the most active and so they come first.The same applies with the ranking of the other animals.In addition,there are other explanations in terms of yin-yang and the five elements or the odd and even number of the animals’ toes,and so forth.

Folk legends offer a more vivid explanation.It is said that the Jade Emperor wanted to elect 12 animals in the mortal world to be the representatives of the animal kingdom.Once the notice of the election was issued,all the animals were itching to try.At that time,the cat,which was fond of lying in,told its good friend the rat to wake it up when the rat set out on its forays,and the rat agreed.When it was time to set out,however,the rat tried but failed to wake up the cat.Then,the rat selfishly thought to itself: why not just let it go on lying in,so that I have one fewer competitor.On its way,it came across a river and was thinking hard about how to cross this barrier.At that moment,along came an ox,which was also going to stand for election,so the rat jump onto its back.The simple and honest ox simply walked on without complaint.The majestic-looking dragon always felt that it was not beautiful enough without a horn on its head.On this day,the dragon saw a cock dressed in colorful clothes proudly walking in a farm courtyard,and the dragon was attracted by its coxcomb.So,the dragon asked the cock for its loan,but the cock shook his head and said: “No,I am going to stand for election with it tomorrow.” The dragon said: “My cock brother,how beautiful you are! Your beautiful dress alone is already enough to ensure your success in election,so the horn is not necessary.” Upon hearing these honeyed words,the cock,which loved flattery,was inclined to agree but worried about getting the comb back.At that moment,a centipede crawled over and said: “My big brother,lend it.If you have any worry,I am the security for it.” Since the centipede was to be the guarantor,the cock handed its comb to the dragon while repeatedly stressing the need for its return after the election.The dragon was happy to make such a promise and departed.

On the day the election was held,theox was the first to arrive.When the Jade Emperor was about to confirm this,he saw a rat jump to the front from the ox’s back,so it turned out the rat was first and the ox second.The tiger and the rabbit came in third and fourth respectively.The dragon arrived quite late,but looked so beautiful that the Jade Emperor put it in the fifth place.When the dilatory pig arrived at the election convention with much groaning and moaning,the other animals had already been ranked,so it came in last.

The rat was so proud of gaining the first place it boasted to the cat so much that the latter became angry and pounced on it.Hence,the two former good friends became enemies,with the cat always trying to catch the rat,which had to hide to escape.The dragon was not willing to give back the comb to the cock despite its promise,so it jumped a pool to hide.The cock had no choice but to ask the centipede to assume responsibility,and the centipede said: “I have no way either if it doesn’t give back to you!” Then,it also hid.The cock was so unwilling to loose its comb that since then it ascended to the heights every morning to declaim: “My dragon brother! Return my comb!” It also dug in corners and cracks with its claws to try and peck the centipede.

The zodiac has such a long history thatit is difficult to ascertain its origin; however,since it is popular,practical and interesting,it continues to thrive.Fortune-telling usingthe zodiac,the relationship between it andone’s personality,the animal year and otheraspects of faith in the zodiac have becomepart of traditional Chinese culture.

Double Ninth Festival

The 9th day of the 9th lunar month is the traditional Chongyang Festival,or Double Ninth Festival.Numbers 1,3,5,7 and 9 were thought to be of Yang characteristics,meaning masculine or positive,while numbers 2,4,6,8 and 10 were Yin,meaning feminine or negative.So the number nine in both month and day creates the Double Ninth Festival,or Chongyang Festival.

Also,as double ninth was pronounced the same as the word to signify “forever”,people associate it with longevity, so Double Ninth Festival is also called the Festival for the Elderly.As ascending a height is the main custom of Double Ninth Festival,it is also called “Height Ascending Festival”.

Double Ninth Festival has a long history, but its origin continues to be controversial.It is generally believed that it had been valued in the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC-476 BC),but the activity was limited to the palace.Until the Western Han Dynasty (206 BC-25 AD),it was gradually introduced into folklore.By the time of the Tang Dynasty (618-907),the Double Ninth Festival was formally designated as the folk festival.

The customary act ivi t ies include cl imbing mountains, wearing cornel,en j oy i ng chrysan t hemum, dr i nk i ng chrysanthemum wine and eating Double Ninth cakes.The activities of climbing and wearing cornel are associated with mythology.

According to legend,in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220),there was a plague demon in Ruhe (river).Once it appeared,someone would die.One year,a young man named Heng Jing,whose parents had been devitalized by the plague demon,was determined to eliminate this scourge and finally took Fei Changfang,who had magical supernatural powers,as his teacher.Heng Jing got up as soon as the cock crows,studied diligently and practiced hard,with years passing in this way.One day,Fei Changfang said to him: “Tomorrow is the 9th day of the 9th lunar month,the plague demon will come out and do evil again.Since you have adept skills,it is time to go back to get rid of evil for the people.” And then he gave Heng Jing a packet of cornel leaves that could ward off evil and a pot of chrysanthemum wine,and told him way to use them.After that,Heng Jing rode a crane back home.

In the morning of the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, according to his teacher’s instruction,Heng Jing asked the local people to hide in the mountain nearby,gave everyone a cornel leaf and a cup of chrysanthemum wine,and prepared to subdue demon.

Double Ninth Festival

At noon,the plague demon jumped out from Ruhe River with squalls and flew to a nearby village.When it flew down the mountain and suddenly smelled the scent of cornel leaves and the smell of chrysanthemum wine,its face became pale and could not fly any more.At this time,Heng Jing stabbed it to death with a sword.Since then,the custom of ascending to a high place to avoid epidemics on the ninth day of September has been passed down.

The custom of wearing cornel emerged in the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD).Cornel is a plant with a strong scent; its fruit is edible and the stems and leaves can be used as medicine.On the day of the Double Ninth Festival,people would sew a piece of red cloth together with freshly picked leaves and fruits into a small bag and carry with them.The ancients believed that it could exorcise evil spirits,so it was called “Pixie Weng”.By the Tang Dynasty,inserting cornel gradually replaced wearing cornel and was extensively popular,and there were a large number of records in poetry,such as Thinking of My Brother On Mountain-Climbing by poet Wang Wei in the Tang Dynasty: “All alone in a foreign land,I am twice as homesick on this day; When brothers carry cornel up the mountain,each of them a branch - and my branch missing.” In the Song Dynasty (960-1279),inserting cornel was not so prevalent as before,and after the Song Dynasty it was replaced by using cornel directly for medicinal purposes.That custom has now completely gone.

For the later generations,ascending the heights on Double Ninth Festival has nothing to do with avoiding evils,but just for fun.On the 9th day of the 9th lunar month, which coincides wi th the end of the second month of autumn and the beginning of the last month,mountains are covered with red leaves,the clouds are pale and a light breeze is blowing,creating a lovely scene,so it is the best season for sightseeing.Therefore, the custom of cl imbing on Double Ninth Fes t ival has cont inued.Around thi s time, Chrysanthemum exhibitions and Chrysanthemum admiring activities will be held around China,and some units will organize mountain climbing activities for the elderly.