The cultural symbolism of the zodiac pig

In people's minds, pigs are probably the most honest domestic animals. They are not elves like dogs. They understand the master's mind, follow their masters back and forth, and do their best to please. The pig has a round, fat and honest look. He sleeps when he eats and eats when he is hungry. He appears to be honest. The laziness of pigs is well-known in animals. The reason why pigs are the fastest growing among all domestic animals is that they are less active. Except for activities during eating, pigs rarely do heavy exercise, let alone worry about fatigue. The dirty of pigs is also well known. Although there are objective reasons for its lack of hygiene, it almost always eats, lives, pulls, spreads, and is covered with shit and shit in a pen, giving people a disgusting feeling. Due to the above-mentioned characteristics of pigs, it has often become synonymous with stupidity, laziness, greed and ugliness. When used in the cultural life of human beings, it has a deep derogatory color.

The pig also implies contempt. The famous film dramatist Xia Yan wrote in the reportage work "Bashen Workers" that the foreman's name for the Baoshen Workers is always the word "Pig 猡", showing their discrimination and personal insult to the Baoshen Workers. Before the Qing Dynasty and the early Ming Dynasty, a large number of Chinese were sold abroad to work as coolies. These overseas Chinese workers were called "piggy". When shipped abroad, the wands are slaves and hard labor such as mining, and there is no hope of returning to the country for life.

So, is the cultural symbolism of pigs all derogatory and can only ridicule the shortcomings of human beings? The answer is of course no. The pig is used in a derogatory sense entirely out of people's superficial observations. For example, pigs are dirty, mainly because they avoid heat. According to expert research, when the temperature is below 48 degrees Celsius, the pigs in the pen usually put their own place, but once the temperature rises above 48 degrees Celsius, they will Hu Lai in his own circle did a lot of work. Ever since, the higher the temperature, the more dirty they will become. Therefore, we should realize that the idea that pigs are dirty animals mainly refers to their appearance, and the nature of pigs is not really dirty. Fraser, a well-known modern anthropologist, believes: "Like all so-called dirty animals, pigs were originally regarded as sacred beasts." This statement is very reasonable.

In ancient times, the cultural significance of pigs did not contain any derogatory meaning at all. On the contrary, pigs were a measure of bravery. Not only does "home" mean raising pigs in the house, even the social activities at the time centered on things related to pigs, such as "things" oracle bone inscriptions with their hands holding a long-handled net to catch pigs or wild boars. The quality of a person is also measured by pig matter. For example, the word "dare" means catching pigs with bare hands to show bravery, so if you can't catch pigs, it is cowardice. . Domestic pigs appear to be so docile and honest because they have been domesticated for a long time and are isolated from nature and have lost their nature. Wild boars are ferocious and good at fighting. Based on this characteristic, pigs have the meaning of "going forward."

Speaking of the bravery of pigs, let’s take a look at a real modern anecdote: one day in the early autumn of 1984, the head of an old medicine-gathering farmer from Heilongjiang was carrying a bamboo basket to gather medicine in Daxingan. Suddenly, a large drop of soybean fell on the back of his head, and there was some blood in the drop. Lao Suntou looked up, and saw a starving Siberian tiger, squatting on a big rock, drooling at him! The old grandson was taken aback, the tiger hurled his head with a "whoop", and the old grandson dodged. The tiger found a plump wild boar one meter away from his head, digging roots there with his head down. The wild boar didn't show any weakness with the mountain king who came in suddenly, so both sides stared at each other fiercely. After standing up like this for about two or three minutes, the tiger suddenly jumped and rushed towards the wild boar. They went back and forth, defended and attacked. They fought for about fifteen rounds. The tiger used a trick and bit the wild boar's back. leg. The wild boar howled loudly in pain. Suddenly, yellow smoke billowed in the woods, crying everywhere, and dozens of wild boars roared, rushing towards this side, fighting desperately. The tiger fought alone and fought hard. In the blink of an eye, the tiger roared and the pig howled, and the fighting in the woods was dim. A few hours later, the tiger was dripping with blood, and gradually became unable to support it, wailing. At this time, the surviving wild boar slowly and angrily withdrew from the scene. In the woods, blood was stained with yellow sand. A dozen wild boars and a tiger fell on the ground. Two wild boars that were about to die were still convulsing! The old grandson hid in a big tree and watched the thrilling pig-tiger battle from beginning to end.

Wild boars are so brave, so the term "pig" is often used as a person's name in Japan. The Japanese use "pig" to name children. It is not for the sake of feeding, but to take a vulgar name, but to appreciate the courage of pigs. Before, there is a spirit of advancing without retreat. Europeans have a similar understanding. They think that although wild boars have no horns, they are the most ferocious animals among the beasts. Its fangs are sharp and strong, and can easily stab the enemy; it often rubs the shoulders and lower sides on the trunk to make it a strong shield. Therefore, many coats of arms in Europe use pigs as the motif, indicating bravery and invincibility. For example, the coat of arms of King Charles III of England is two pigs guarding the shield. On the coat of arms of the Duke of Algay of Scotland, the head of the pig is placed on top of the pattern, showing the dignity of the pig.

As a domestic pig, it is so honest and honest, guards itself, never harms anyone, and brings economic prosperity to people, becoming a "cornucopia" for the peasants; every organ in its body, from head to head At the end, people always eat delicious food. Therefore, in Chinese culture, the pig has many other meanings and symbols.

It is said that since the Tang Dynasty, the scholars of the Imperial Examinations and Imperial Examinations have met. If any of them becomes the general in the future, they will ask the calligrapher of the same department to call the calligrapher "Zhu Shu" with a red pen to write the title on the Yanta. Because "pig" and "Zhu" are homophonic, and "hooves" and "title" are in harmony, pigs have become the mascot of young students' titles. Whenever someone rushes to take the test, relatives and friends will present braised pig's knuckles, and wish those who rushed to take the test "the title of Zhubi". Later, this habit gradually expanded, and people gave each other ham during the New Year, because ham is roasted with pig's feet. Folks also believe that the "fat pig arch" is auspicious, and the fat pig has become a messenger of blessing, so there is a saying: "Pig is the treasure of the house, and the dung is the gold in the ground." ( Chinese zodiac http:///shengxiao/)

All in all, in our lives, pigs on the one hand represent stupidity, laziness, gluttony, lust, and dirty, but on the other hand they symbolize bravery, kindness, loyalty, caution, honesty, and tolerance. Naturalist Husson said: "Pigs are not as suspicious, cringe and obedient like horses, cows, and sheep; they are not as rash as goats, not afraid of the sky, not hostile like geese, and not condescending like cats; nor Wagging his tail like a dog begging for mercy."