The Monkey of the Chinese Zodiac

In the affiliation of the zodiac, the monkey is matched. Monkeys are not domestic animals, and their relationship with people's daily lives is not as close as that of six animals. However, although the Chinese zodiac lists are not the same, they all include the monkey as one of them; there are different lists of Chinese zodiac signs at home and abroad, but the monkey is also indispensable, which is also highlighting the monkey’s identity from one side. charm.

According to relevant historical records, the Chinese zodiac appeared as early as the pre-Qin period, and was finalized in the Eastern Han Dynasty at the latest. It was widely used throughout the country after the Tang Dynasty and affected the neighboring countries of East Asia. Dou Zhuan Xing Yi, sent away Wei Yang, ushered in Shen Hou, why should the monkey correspond to Shen Shi? There are different folk beliefs: first, monkeys are good at stretching and climbing, and they have the meaning of stretching; second, Shen Shi (15 to 17) When the sun is westward, the climate is refreshing, and the monkeys go down the mountain to search for food. They are very active, so people associate Shenshi with monkeys, so Shenshi is also called "feeding time".

Mr. Gu Jiaoshu had a mantra, "We have rice and grain in our family, and don't be the King of Homo". The ancients once satirized the traitor Qin Hui with the King of Homo. It is said that Qin Hui was from a poor family in his early years and used to be a school teacher. The students were all mischievous children. Qin Hui was uncontrollable and irritated, so he wrote the grumble poem "If you get 300 mu of paddy field, you don’t want to be the king of the tigers." Becoming the prime minister of the Southern Song Dynasty is very hot. He was a high-ranking official in the imperial court, opposed armed resistance to the Jin Dynasty, and devoted himself to humiliating and discussing peace. He was in the arms of Zhao Gou, Emperor Gaozong of the Song Dynasty, and he was later named King Shen. The news spread that people remembered those two poems that year, and ridiculed this surrendering treacherous official, "Qin Hui really became the king of hens this time." The monkey of the Shanghai genus can be described as the king of hens.

According to the five elements, the twelve branches of Shen and You belong to gold. Of course, when people call monkeys, they often use gold in front of them. Monkey King has vast magical powers, and he is called the Golden Monkey to lower demons and eliminate demons. This is precisely the reason.

Let Gu Yifang take you to look at the customs, customs and anecdotes about monkeys .

No. 1:

Baiyun Temple, one mile outside the Xibianmen in Beijing, its history dating back to the Tang Dynasty makes it seem simple and deep. This is a holy place for Taoist believers and a place for pilgrims to pray for blessings. "There is no trace of the gods, only the stone monkeys are in the view." Everyone who comes to Baiyunguan never forgets to touch the few "famous" little stone monkeys. They all say that they are golden monkeys, sacred monkeys, and god monkeys, which can eliminate calamities and cure diseases, and bless people with peace and good fortune. There is another saying that "monkey" and "hou" have the same pronunciation, and if you touch it, you can "get the prince immediately" and so on. At the earliest, there were three little stone monkeys in Baiyun Temple, hidden in various places in the temple, so there was a saying that "the three monkeys did not meet each other". If you don’t know it in advance or someone gives pointers, it’s really not easy to find them all.

The stone monkey is less than two meters above the ground, and people who walk by can reach it with their hands. Therefore, everyone who enters the scene should stop here, reach out and touch a few times, hoping to get the fairy energy and aura of the monkey. Bring good luck to yourself. There are more people touching it, and the color of this part is much darker than the surrounding area. Due to the age, the expression of Stone Monkey has been blurred, not to mention the "quiet and deep" expression that Mr. Li Yangzheng wrote in the "New Edition of Beijing Baiyun Guanzhi". Time has changed and the years have passed, how many hands eager for happiness have been stroking here, and how many confused and hesitant eyes have been watching here. I just don't know whether the people who have touched the stone monkey can really "know" and "get the Tao".

There are two brick-carved side walls on both sides of the gate. The base of the west wall is carved with a second stone monkey, the size of which is almost the same as the one on the gate. Similarly, only boulder also face blurred, or even tell around, seems to show its distant history of this "invisible." Regarding the origin of "touching the monkey", in addition to the various folks, there is one more thing to say. In the "New Edition of Beijing Baiyun Guan Zhi", Mr. Li Yangzheng mentioned that Chen Luqing, the wise man of Baiyun Guan earlier, explained to him the reason for touching monkeys in this way. He said that Taoism imitates the heaven and the earth and advocates nature, and "monkey" is the same as the "weather" of the climate, so "touching the monkey" is intended to follow the seasonal climate change and follow the principle of "Tao law of nature". If the "reason" is right, everything in life will be smooth, healthy and happy. This explanation is quite in line with Taoist ideals. Compared with the saying of "immediately appoint a man", it is less utilitarian and a little more calm, and it fits the Baiyun View proudly and independent of the undisturbed loneliness in the mundane world.

The third stone monkey is on the stone stele of Leizu Hall in the eastern courtyard of Baiyun Guan. It was built in the 14th year of Daoguang and named the "Nine Emperor Gods Monument". It was erected by the Daoists of Baiyun Guan to commemorate the merits of pilgrims. On one side of the base of this stele, there is a monkey more than ten centimeters long. Xu is relatively recent and not as conspicuous as the monkey at the door. Its image is slightly clearer. The stone monkey straddles a stone with one foot on his forehead and two hands on his forehead, while the other holds a peach high up, as if to throw it out. Although the expression is not visible, he can feel it when he looks closely. Naughty, reminds people of Monkey King Monkey King. This monkey is difficult to find. Many tourists have been asking Guanzhong Taoist priests to find it here. During the Spring Festival temple fair, in order to protect this stone monument, it was surrounded by partitions. Tourists can only look at it through the board. The little monkey added a layer of mystery.

No. 2:

Fangcheng stone monkeys belong to the monkey totem worship in the folk beliefs. Nanyang is a mountainous area, rich in kiwifruit, and there are also many macaques. "Auspicious culture" is produced by the homophony of "hou". "Send a good stone monkey" is a metaphor "Send a good time (also a good opportunity)", so the folks regard the Fangcheng stone monkey as a mascot. Fangcheng Stone Monkey has academic research value. The shape is highly exaggerated, deformed, vivid and casual, and the technique is quick. The color is based on red, yellow and green. It is strong and lively and has a unique style. It is a living cultural relic for studying the folk culture of the Central Plains. Fangcheng stone monkeys have profound folk culture and strong regional characteristics. Fangcheng stone monkeys were originally the winter leisure sideline of the villagers of Yanshanpu Village, and they were mostly sold at the "March 3rd" Xiaodingshan Temple Fair on the farm. However, it quickly disappeared after the reform and opening up, and decreased year by year.

No. 3:

The "baby-protecting monkey" on the head of the kang. In Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia and other regions of China, there is a small stone monkey carved with bluestone on the kang head of the farmhouse (there is also a kang head lion), which is specially used to tie a baby who has just learned to crawl six or seven months old . The mother used a red rope through the round hole in the stone monkey's leg, and then tied the other end of the red rope to the baby. According to locals, monkeys can keep the baby safe, and the baby will grow up smart and capable.

No. 4:

"Escort Monkey" on the dock. Before the 1970s, on the ancient ferry piers in Sanmenxia and Shanxian County, the wooden stakes used to tether the wooden boats when they approached the pier were carved with a lively monkey, sitting on the top of the wooden stakes in a pretentious manner. Looking around. The old worker explained: Sun Monkey is good at water and can sneak into the East China Sea and make trouble in the Dragon Palace. Respect it, you can escort, and people and ships are safe.

No. 5:

The "Pest-Avoiding Monkey" on a horse post. In Northwest China's Shaanxi and Gansu (including Shanxi) areas, especially Weinan in Shaanxi, villages and villages have horse-tethering stone piles, and many stone monkeys are carved on the tops of horse-tashing posts, which are called "Horse Fever" (弼马). Wen's homophonic). The reason is probably related to the Monkey King’s trouble in the Heavenly Palace in Journey to the West, and the Jade Emperor named him the post of “Bima Wen” in order to appease the Monkey King. To put it bluntly, he was the little leader of the Tianma conservation. "Bi Ma Wen" is the official "official" of the imperial seal and was formally appointed by God. Therefore, even though Monkey King is unwilling and resigns voluntarily, the common people always associate Monkey King with the horse and walk into the countryside. You can find the position of the "God of Lords-Avoiding Horse Plague" by tying horses, by the side of the trough, and in the peasant's room.

No. 6:

The god of longevity "hugging peach monkey". Monkey and "Peach" seem to have a natural indissoluble bond. Kiwis in the natural world like to eat peaches. In the mythical novel "Journey to the West", there is a story about the grandson monkey stealing peaches from the Queen Mother of the West. Legend has it that the flat peach was produced in Tiangong and was planted by the queen’s mother herself. It bears fruit every three hundred years. The quantity is very small. Anyone who eats it can live forever, hence the name "Xiantao". So far, when people celebrate birthdays for the elderly, peaches are still used as a symbol of birthday celebrations.

Part 7: (Chinese Zodiac http:///shengxiao/)

"Monkey at once" praying for fame. The homophonic and auspicious tone of Mahou Monkey is "Immediately Fenghou". It has the same meaning as the "back-back monkey" in folk toys. Monkey and Hou are homophonic. Hou, the official.

Monkey