Chinese people like to talk about auspicious animals--dragons, phoenixes, chilins and turtles are known as the "four spirits," each endowed with a specific virtue. The popular twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac are also imbued with a profound cultural significance. Through anthropomorphism, the various virtues of mankind are bestowed upon the beasts, and at the same time the behavior of people is compared to the various characteristics of animals. Animals and people merge into one, with feelings of friendship and fascination.

Of pigs and people

The pig is not particularly loved by mankind-- his good name is even used as a curse. But in traditional Chinese society, interestingly, human emotions and human nature are imputed upon the portly porkers.

Hogs are our most important livestock and one of humanity's major sources of meat. Although they are not as charming as dragons, nor as cuddly as dogs, their practical value is far higher than other animals in the zodiac. Pigs are also very close to humans in terms of biological structure. In actuality, people are quite similar to pigs. The most lovable harlequin in traditional Chinese literature is the pig Chu Pa-chieh in The Journey to the West.

The pig's given name Pa-chieh refers to the eight vices which Buddhists proscribe: (1) killing living things, (2) stealing, (3) fornicating, (4) lying, (5) drinking alcohol, (6) indulging in vanity and entertainment, (7) sitting or sleeping in a commodious bed, and (8) eating except at meal times. It is widely known that Chu Pa-chieh was greedy for wealth and full of lust, gluttonous and lazy and prone to distorting the truth. He was guilty of all the eight prohibitions, and his name "Pa-chieh" was employed in sarcasm.

If we examine The Journey to the West from the point of view of modern Freudian psychoanalysis, Tang San-tsang, Sun Wu-kung and Chu Pa-chieh are actually three embodiments of the high Buddhist priest Hsuan Tsang. Tang San-tsang represents Hsuan Tsang's superego, that is the "I" underlying the social etiquette of morality and law. Chu Pa-chieh represents Hsuan Tsang's id, the "I" with a base animal instinct. And Sun Wu-kung is symbolic of Hsuan Tsang's ego, the "I" that integrates both superego and id. Generally, readers appreciate Sun Wu-kung the most, but deep inside our hearts, Chu Pa-chieh feels the most accessible, because the "Pa-chieh" is closest to our nature.

Hello! I'm the ever-popular Taoyuan pig. Ain't I cool? I want to wish all my fans a happy new year in advance! （photo by Vincent Chang）

Pigs in parables

There are abundant cases where hogs are treated as the subject matter of fables. In the classic Han Fei-tzu can be found a story titled "Three Lice Eat a Pig":

Three lice sat on the back of a sow, squabbling incessantly. Another louse approached on one side and curiously asked, "What are you quarreling about?" The three lice answered, "We're fighting for the piece which has the most fat and blood!" Then the other louse asked, "The winter solstice is coming soon, and three days later people will start a fire with chestnut oak and kill the pig as a sacrifice to their ancestors. It's odd that you all aren't worried!" Then the three lice stopped squabbling and, choosing a spot, started frantically sucking blood. The sow became thin from lack of blood, and when the day of sacrifice came, the people saw how gaunt she was and chose not to kill her.

This is a fable of blood-sucking lice that quarreled among themselves over the gains that lay in front of their eyes. The other louse, obviously very astute, reminds us with irony that long-term communal benefits outweigh internal conflicts. At the same time, the story discloses the principle of dialectical transformation.

The Ming era Collected Works of Sung by writer Sung Lien contains a story called "Driving a Pig to Till a Field," the gist of which goes as follows:

Shang Yu-tzu was very poor. He had no water buffalo to till the fields, so he pulled a big boar on a leash to the fields to help with the plowing. But the boar chafed angrily under the yoke. After a whole day they had not even finished the first patch.

A man named Ning Wu saw this odd sight, and he rebuked Shang Yu-tzu, saying, "What is this all about? Only buffalo can till the fields. Driving a big boar to do the work is preposterous!"

Shang Yu-tzu was fuming but refused to reply. Seeing him stubbornly unwilling to change his ways, Ning Wu continued his rebuke: "Pigs are to be raised fat, then killed and eaten. But now you replace buffalo with a pig. You're turning the world on its head! I kindly told you, but you just became furious. How could that be?"

If you want to save money and get rich, take the pig--the beast with a big heart and a broad girth--as your model. （photo by Lin Meng-san）

The profound plow pig

Shang Yu-tzu said with a wry grin, "You think that I've turned the world on its head. I think you've turned your head on the world! Who doesn't know it takes a buffalo to till the fields? Everyone also knows it takes true talent and virtue to rule a nation. Actually, not using a cow to plow is a laughable thing, but the damage is not very great. On the other hand, those who rule the nation without employing people of ability, make the whole citizenry suffer severely. The only one you scold is me, but you don't go confronting powerful people. Aren't you just focusing on the small vices while ignoring the big ones?"

Ning Wu told his students, "This is a man with a passionately just heart. I was wrong to accuse him."

This fable uses the image of pigs plowing the fields to ridicule the rulers for not employing able people. Underneath the quirky plot flows a stream of righteous anger.

The book Fables of China's Minorities also records a tale of the Kazakhs of Xinjiang called "The Wild Boar and the Mountain Goat."

The wild boar and the mountain goat were good friends who never left each other's side. They were truly inseparable. One day they went to the side of a lake to drink water. On the way, the wild boar asked the mountain goat, "Who is the ugliest animal of all?"

The goat said flatteringly, "I've never seen the ugliest animal, but I've always felt you are the most beautiful."

When they came to the edge of the clear lake, the boar took several gulps. Suddenly he noticed his own reflection on the surface of the water. He shouted, "Come see, come look! Here's a guy who's a top contender!"

When the mountain goat heard this, his eyes popped open with surprise. He saw that the face in the water was the pig's: big, pointy ears, white fangs, bloody red eyes emitting a fierce gleam. The mountain goat chuckled, "No, that is not the ugliest animal of all. It's you."

The wild boar was both embarrassed and angry. Before the goat had even finished speaking, the boar's fangs flipped, pointing up, and he gored the goat to death.

"The Wild Boar and the Mountain Goat" is actually an allegory of human society. People who flatter and curry favor like the mountain goat can be encountered everywhere. Although the wild boar was ugly since the day of his birth, at least he could accept the truth about what he was. At the time of realizing his true identity, he rejected all flattery, and demonstrated his sense of righteousness.

In truth, China has no exclusive patent on fables with pig heroes. Two thousand year's ago, Aesop's fables of Greece included a story about a boar and a fox:

A boar was sharpening his tusks on a tree. A fox came by and asked, "Why are you sharpening your tusks when there are no hunters or other dangers around?"

Answered the boar, "I have my reasons. Once danger is really upon me, it will be too late to sharpen them then. If I ever need my tusks, they'll already be sharp."

Dough replicas of the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Look closely--can you spot the pig? （photo by Pu Hua-chih）

Pigs in proverbs

Fables in which pigs are imbued with human qualities have always contained revelations and lessons, all over the world from ancient times to the present.

And from these countless curly pig tales collected through the ages, many famous Chinese pig proverbs have been passed down, such as:

"Wolves and pigs run rampant." This describes evildoers who run about uncontrolled and wreak havoc wherever they go. Shang Shih Tzu of the Ching Dynasty wrote in his book Su Chou, "Dogs and rats rob in Yingchou County; wolves and pigs run rampant and violate the law."

"Boars charge with boar bravery." This proverb refers to people who rush forward without fear of death. The History of the Former Han reports, "The Huns frequently invaded, spreading terror. King Wang Mang conscripted prisoners and slaves from all over China, and gave them the appellation 'Boars charging with boar bravery.'"

"Lower than pigs and dogs" is a malediction applied to individuals lacking in virtue. It can also refer to extremely bad living conditions. A passage from the Legalist classic Shun Tzu reads, "He appears to be human, but is actually lower than pigs and dogs." Chapter 70 of Northern Warlords in the Early Years of the Republic of China quotes, "You're the Prime Minister, and you scheme to make yourself regent. You're really lower than pigs and dogs!"

Many of the literati have bad impressions of pigs, and poets and artists seldom treat them in their works. The Categorical Dictionary of Scenery and Objects in Ancient Poetry compiled by Chu Chung-yuen includes quite a lot of poems about dogs, horses, cows and sheep. But the category of pigs has only two poems. The first one reads:

Pigs seek sties and chickens, coops, In the misty gloaming.

Autumnal trees sway, Revealing Nan Mountain's vague silhouette.

This poem, "View from Halfway up the Mountain" by Wang An-shih, vividly captures the scenery of dusk. The sun sets upon a vast expanse of gray fog. Pigs are returning to their sties, and chickens hop into their coops. The twilight endows a romantic touch to life in the mountains.

A black goat gouges through the fence; A spotted pig crashes the gate.

Fan Cheng-ta's poem "On the Way to Hengyang" depicts life on the farm. A goat uses its horns to break out of the yard, and a pig pushes open the gate of his pen, running outside to frolic. The mischief and liveliness of animal natures was cap tured herein.

Another famous pig poem, "Traveling to Shanxi Village" by the Southern Sung poet Lu You goes,

Don't mock the farm family's homemade winter wine.

At harvest they serve their guests chickens and pigs.

I feared I was lost among the endless mountains and rivers, When suddenly the view opened upon a new village.

The villagers gathered, beating drums in celebration, Their attire simple yet rich with tradition.

I wished for the leisure to hereafter enjoy the moon; I could saunter with ease and visit friends at night.

This is a real masterpiece that has been handed down through the ages. Shanxi Village is not in Shanxi Province; it is a small mountain town near Shaoxing, Zhejiang. Lu You paid a visit there, and being completely captivated by the serenity of the terrain, the beauty of the customs, and the abundance of personal warmth, he composed this poem. First he reflected on the tranquil and jolly panorama of the farming village at harvest time. Though their moonshine was not so tasty, their hearts brimmed with hospitality. And as it happened to be harvest time, they had plenty of chickens and plump pigs, which they served up to treat their guests. The people of the village were simple and sincere, warm and friendly.

In ancient China marital matches were prohibited between people of certain zodiac sings. One poem enumerated these taboo combinations: "...A snake and a tiger will be severed like a knife; a pig and a monkey will surely fight." In the lower left hand corner, a pig and a monkey can still be seen raising a mighty ruckus. （rephotographed from Chinese Popular Prints）

Pigs in paint

Hogs rarely pop up in poetry and art, but "a full stock of poultry and pigs" has always been the great dream of the Chinese commoner. All the way through to the Twentieth Century, the Year of the Pig has always been known for its boisterous festivities. The Executive Yuan's Council for Cultural Planning and Development is sponsoring the "Pig of the Year" annual illustration contest. The ROC postal service has produced a special series of stamps commemorating the swine. And all the art shops are flooded with stone and wood carvings of none other than our pal the pig. In this new year, we should all wish each other a pork barrel full of good cheer!

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Hello! I'm the ever-popular Taoyuan pig. Ain't I cool? I want to wish all my fans a happy new year in advance! (photo by Vincent Chang)

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If you want to save money and get rich, take the pig--the beast with a big heart and a broad girth--as your model. (photo by Lin Meng-san)

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Dough replicas of the twelve animals of the Chinese Zodiac. Look closely--can you spot the pig? (photo by Pu Hua-chih)

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In ancient China marital matches were prohibited between people of certain zodiac sings. One poem enumerated these taboo combinations: "...A snake and a tiger will be severed like a knife; a pig and a monkey will surely fight." In the lower left hand corner, a pig and a monkey can still be seen raising a mighty ruckus. (rephotographed from Chinese Popular Prints)

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"7382--This is not a lottery ticket number! I'm a highly prized stud pig! Not long from now I'll be "killing two birds with one stone"-- breeding a better pork chop and also enjoying the pleasures of the flesh! (photo by Vincent Chang)

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He did nothing but feed his face for three years, all in preparation for this one day of glory. (photo by Chiu Sheng-wang)

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This hog-shaped potpourri pouch serves as jewelry during the Dragon Boat Festival in the Year of the Pig. (courtesy of Chuang Po-ho)

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This pig's head is an excavated funerary object from the Ming Dynasty. (courtesy of Chuang Po-ho)

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A ceramic swine from the Han Dynasty. (courtesy of Chuang Po-ho)

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For a steaming fire pot on a cold winter's night, the tastiest ingredients are beef, mutton and pork. (photo by Pu Hua-chih)

"7382--This is not a lottery ticket number! I'm a highly prized stud pig! Not long from now I'll be "killing two birds with one stone"-- breeding a better pork chop and also enjoying the pleasures of the flesh! （photo by Vincent Chang）

He did nothing but feed his face for three years, all in preparation for this one day of glory. （photo by Chiu Sheng-wang）

This hog-shaped potpourri pouch serves as jewelry during the Dragon Boat Festival in the Year of the Pig. （courtesy of Chuang Po-ho）

This pig's head is an excavated funerary object from the Ming Dynasty. （courtesy of Chuang Po-ho）

A ceramic swine from the Han Dynasty. （courtesy of Chuang Po-ho）

For a steaming fire pot on a cold winter's night, the tastiest ingredients are beef, mutton and pork. （photo by Pu Hua-chih）