In Chinese mythology and culture the sheep is as much a symbol of good fortune as the phoenix, dragon and kylin. According to the ancient dictionary Shuo-wen, the character for "auspicious" is derived from the character for "sheep," and in antiquity the two were used interchangeably.
The Chinese world yang meaning "sheep" is a homonym of Yang, the "male principle," which makes it even more a byword for good fortune and good luck. In the Chou I (Classic of Changes) it is stated that the beginningof spring in the first month of the lunar calendar marks an upsurge inthe growth of "male energy" in the three realms of Heaven, Earth and Man, from which all the year's good fortune stems. Paintings showing threesheep embody this idea in pictorial form.
The 81-day period of the lunar calendar that begins with the Winter Solstice is always the coldest time of year, when the world looks to the sun's warmth to bring it back to life. This idea of winter cold being dispelled by the sun's warmth is also depicted in paintings showing nine sheep, as nine times nine equals 81.
Many Chinese artifacts of ceramic and jade from centuries past are adorned with homely sheep motifs. In the Shang period in particular, when artistry reached new heights, many vase or goblet-shaped bronzes were decorated with sheep motifs either in low relief or in the round.
From the viewpoint of Chinese cuisine, the sheep holds a position that cannot be overlooked--mutton is one of the foremost types of meat. Alarge, plump sheep was the finest sacrificial offering that could be served up to the gods. The phrase "leading a sheep and bringing wine" indicates a gift to be highly prized, while "mutton fat wine" is a delicacy indeed.
Citing a passage in the Water Margin, literary giant Hsia Yuan-yu hasshown that mutton was a high-class food in the society of Sung China. At one point Li Ta enters a wine shop, and the waiter eyes him disdainfully before saying: "We sell mutton here, not beef!" To which Li Ta angrily replies: "So I'm not good enough to eat mutton, am I!"
Many characters in Chinese have the "sheep" radical--words meaning "beautiful," "innocuous," "righteous" and "flock" for instance--and according to etymologist Lo Lung-chih many such characters tend to be associated with moral virtues and legal concepts.
Instinctively gathering in "flocks" and being "innocuous" by nature, sheep are often used as a disguise for viler motives. Aren't phrases like "a wolf in sheep's clothing" or "hanging a sheep's head sign and selling dogmeat" (i.e. doing evil under a grand-sounding name)just a covert acknowledgement that sheep have a lot going for them?
Let's hope this Year of the Sheep will live up to its name and bring everyone good fortune in 1991.
[Picture Caption]
(Above) Gay scarlet scent pouches in the shape of as heep. (photo by PuHua-chih)
Sheep motifs on ancient bronzes mostly appear in low relief or in the round. Shown here is a Ming dynasty cloisonne enamel jar with a design of three sheep.
By the Five Dynasties period, creatures of the zodiac were no longer represented in their antique bestial form but as human figures wearing animal headgear. This is a sheep figurine. (courtesy of Li Kung-heng/photo by Huang Lili)
A gourd-leaf dish with sheep's head decor in mellow, glossy green jade.
In Yuan paintings of children at play the presence of nine sheep indicates a lucky meaning such as "nine times nine sunny days to dispel winter's cold."
This copy by the Ch'ing dynasty's Ch'ien-lung Emperor of a painting by Emperor Hsuan-tsung of the Ming dynasty contains an imperial colophon in the top right corner explaining the significance of the three sheep motif.
This year's issue of Year of the Sheep postage stamps was sold out within two days.
The East Mountain Classic contains mythical stories about sheep. (courtesy of Li Kung-heng/photo by Huang Lili)
Artist Ch'en Tung-yuan's ink painting "Playing Games under the Trees" shows children at play while two young sheep nearby look sadly neglected. (photo courtesy of Ch'en Tung-yuan)
古代銅器上的羊紋樣,大多以浮雕或立雕形式出現。圖為明朝景泰掐絲琺瑯三羊尊Sheep motifs on ancient bronzes mostly appear in low relief or in the round. Shown here is a Ming dynasty cloisonne enamel jar with a design of three sheep.。.
By the Five Dynasties period, creatures of the zodiac were no longer represented in their antique bestial form but as human figures wearing animal headgear. This is a sheep figurine. (courtesy of Li Kung-heng/photo by Huang Lili)
A gourd-leaf dish with sheep's head decor in mellow, glossy green jade.
In Yuan paintings of children at play the presence of nine sheep indicates a lucky meaning such as "nine times nine sunny days to dispel winter's cold.".
This copy by the Ch'ing dynasty's Ch'ien-lung Emperor of a painting by Emperor Hsuan-tsung of the Ming dynasty contains an imperial colophon in the top right corner explaining the significance of the three sheep motif.
This year's issue of Year of the Sheep postage stamps was sold out within two days.
The East Mountain Classic contains mythical stories about sheep. (courtesy of Li Kung-heng/photo by Huang Lili)
Artist Ch'en Tung-yuan's ink painting "Playing Games under the Trees" shows children at play while two young sheep nearby look sadly neglected. (photo courtesy of Ch'en Tung-yuan)