The Story Behind the Chinese Zodiac

The Jade Chinese Zodiac Bracelet

From left to right: Snake, Dog, Tiger, Rooster, Dragon, Ox, Monkey

Clockwise: Rabbit, Sheep (goat or ram), Rat, Pig, Horse

Hello, friends! I would like to feature the interesting and well-known stories behind the Chinese Zodiac and how each year is named after the twelve animals. All the animals are featured in a jade bracelet.

 The 12 Zodiac animal signs (生肖 shengxiao) are, in order, the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep (ram or goat), monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. There are many legends to explain the beginning of the zodiac. One of the most popular reads, in summarized form, as follows:

The rat was given the task of inviting the animals to report to the Jade Emperor for a banquet to be selected for the zodiac signs. The cat was a good friend of the rat, but the rat tricked him into believing that the banquet was the next day. The cat slept through the banquet, thinking that it was the next day. When he found out, the cat vowed to be the rat’s natural enemy for ages to come.

Interestingly, the cat does make it into the Vietnamese Zodiac, in place of the rabbit (see below).

Another popular legend has it that a race was used to decide the animals to report to the Jade Emperor.

The cat and the rat were the worst swimmers in the animal kingdom. Although bad swimmers, they were both intelligent. They decided that the best and fastest way to cross the river was to hop on the back of the ox. The ox, being a naïve and good-natured animal, agreed to carry them across. However, overcome with a fierce competitiveness, the rat decided that in order to win, it must do something and promptly pushed the cat into the river. Because of this, the cat has never forgiven the rat, and hates the water as well. After the ox had crossed the river, the rat jumped ahead and reached the shore first, and it claimed first place in the competition.

Following closely behind was the strong ox, and it was named the 2nd animal in the zodiac. After the ox, came the tiger, panting, while explaining to the Emperor just how difficult it was to cross the river with the heavy currents pushing it downstream all the time. But with powerful strength, it made to shore and was named the 3rd animal in the cycle.

Suddenly, from a distance came a thumping sound, and the rabbit arrived. It explained how it crossed the river: by jumping from one stone to another in a nimble fashion. Halfway through, it almost lost the race but the rabbit was lucky enough to grab hold of a floating log that later washed him to shore. For that, it became the 4th animal in the zodiac cycle. Coming in 5th place was the dragon, flying and belching fire into the air. Of course, the Emperor was deeply curious as to why a strong and flying creature such as the dragon should fail to reach first. The mighty dragon explained that he had to stop and make rain to help all the people and creatures of the earth, and therefore he was held back a little. Then, on his way to the finish line, he saw a little helpless rabbit clinging on to a log so he did a good deed and gave a puff of breath to the poor creature so that it could land on the shore. The Emperor was very pleased with the actions of the dragon, and he was added into the zodiac cycle. As soon as he had done so, a galloping sound was heard, and the horse appeared. Hidden on the horse’s hoof is the snake, whose sudden appearance gave the horse a fright, thus making it fall back and gave the snake 6th spot while the horse took the 7th.

Not long after that, a little distance away, the ram, monkey and rooster came to the shore. These three creatures helped each other to get to where they are. The rooster spotted a raft, and took the other two animals with it. Together, the ram and the monkey cleared the weeds, tugged and pulled and finally got the raft to the shore. Because of their combined efforts, the Emperor was very pleased and promptly named the ram as the 8th creature, the monkey as the 9th, and the rooster the 10th.

The 11th animal is the dog. His explanation for being late—although he was supposed to be the best swimmer amongst the rest—was that he needed a good bath after a long spell, and the fresh water from the river was too big a temptation. For that, he almost didn’t make it to finish line. Just as the Emperor was about to call it a day, an oink and squeal was heard from a little pig. The pig got hungry during the race, promptly stopped for a feast and then fell asleep. After the nap, the pig continued the race and was named the 12th and last animal of the zodiac cycle. The cat finished too late (thirteenth) to win any place in the calendar, and vowed to be the enemy of the rat forevermore.

In Buddhism, legend has it that Buddha summoned all of the animals of the earth to come before him before his departure from this earth, but only twelve animals actually came to bid him farewell. To reward the animals who came to him he named a year after each of them, the years were given to them in the order they had arrived.

This jade bracelet is now more meaningful and unique as you can enthrall your friends with the intriguing and mesmerising stories behind it.

The Jade Chinese Zodiac bracelet is available at:

http://www.tmour.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=45_49&products_id=338

 

Taken from www.wikipedia.org

All blooms and flowers carved in jade!

Yes, it is all blooms and flowers carved in jade – roses, lotus and many more. Jade is not just for feng shui but the intricate and modern designs makes it attractive even for the young. It exudes the asian charm and makes the jade pieces wearable for all occassions ! You will fall in love with them… And, they make great unique Mother’s day gift!

               

         

    

Piyao, an auspicious amulet

Hi friends, sorry for the long hiatus, I was busy getting www.tmour.com up and now it is all ready! I would like to present to you some of the interesting jade amulets. So sit back and enjoy….

Below are the symbolic meaning of piyao as an amulet. Wearing piyao gives us protection and brings us prosperity. It is especially more potent when carved in jade, as jade exudes a positive natural vibrations. 

“The Pi Yao is the heaven variation of a particularly powerful and auspicious creature of good fortune. He is said to have the power to assist anyone suffering from bad Feng Shui “

Extracted from wofs.com 

“The PiYao is a mystical creature that is an extremely powerful and auspicious amulet of good fortune, just behind the Dragon. It is said to have a voracious appetite that is infinite. The interesting part is that the PiYao does not have an anus, which means things only go in but never come out. It is therefore a favorite must-have for businessmen and merchants wishing loads of money rolling in without spilling out a dime. It is no wonder that the figurines of Pi Yau can often be seen in banks, casinos, foreign exchange markets and finance companies in Oriental countries.

Besides that, the Chinese adore the PiYao because of its protective, obedient and loyal nature. It is believed that the PiYao will always try its best to fulfill its owner’s wish and safeguard the health and welfare of its owner. “

Extracted from buy-fengshui.com 

You can go to www.tmour.com for more!

Amulet fashion accessories and the significance

Hi friends, as promised,  I have snapped some pictures and compiled the meaning and significance of some popular amulets for Chinese New Year. All these amulets are tastefully designed to cater to today’s modern society.

 

These auspicious Gold Fish symbolize prosperity, abundance of good fortune and marital bliss. A pair of Gold Fish also ensures joyous unions.

The Pi Yao is a mystical creature which is good as a protection amulet as well as it attracts good luck and wealth. 

 This interesting jade bracelet consists of all 12 animal zodiac in the Chinese Lunar Calendar.  Each year is being represented by an animal and it is believed that the person born in the year would have certain characteristics of the animal. Of course to know more about it, you can refer to Lilian Too.

The Wu Lo is one the most potent symbols of good health & longevity. A perfect gift for someone you care about and whose longevity and good health matters to you!- Lilian Too

Chinese Coins of course means prosperity for the wearer. Hanging Chinese Coins in significant locations are used to enhance money luck, thus wearing these “money” on your wrists definitely will bring you wealth luck this new year!

The Cicada is the most powerful symbol of immortality and an amulet against politics. It is also a symbol of happiness and youthfulness. Carrying an image of a cicada protects you from danger and disloyal friends.-Lilian Too

Any amulets of flowers signifies blooming opportunities!                                 

 The dragon is the ultimate symbol of auspiciousness. It is the most important symbol both in Feng Shui and in Chinese folklore. Double dragons grasping a pearl signifies power and authority.  This powerful symbol of good fortune also works extremely well for your business. – edited from Lilian Too

Limelight on the Rat

 

   

WITH the exception of Mickey Mouse and the adorable Jerry from the Tom & Jerry cartoon, rodents – rats, particularly, – are a rare find on anyone’s favourite list.From the days of old, these animals have been commonly and understandably viewed as pests, no thanks to the trail of domestic and health-related destruction they leave in their wake.While in reality, the rat is looked upon with distaste, literature and the silver screen, ironically, paints a more endearing picture of these animals.Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows, Tor Seidler’s A Rat’s Tale and Steven Spielberg’s animation direction of The American Tail are examples of works that more often than not stirred heart-warming feelings.Despite the mixed responses of disgust and affection that they inspire, rodents have been kept as pets from as early as the late 19th century.According to a number of pet storeowners and managers, there is a market out there for rodents, as the animals are sociable, intelligent and easy to keep.“Rodents, particularly those more similar to the rat species, are actually quite well-received especially among teenagers and the younger ones,” Pets Wonderland Mid Valley branch manager Dr Wong Won Hong said.These rodents include the various species of hamsters, guinea pigs and mice, as well as gerbils.And, this being the Year of the Rat, an increased demand for rodents as domestic pets is expected.To meet the expected demand, pet stores are also increasing the quantity and variety of rodents, and giving special discounts and promotions.Pets Wonderland will be giving away a pair of mice with every purchase of a starter kit that comprises food, bedding and cage.“Customers get either a pair of satin mice, Syrian long-haired hamster, dwarf hamster or Roborovskii hamster,” Wong said.He said that the promotional package costs RM108.80 or RM138.80.Petsmore.com will be giving away discounts from 10% to 20% on accessories to its members with every purchase of a rodent, in all its store branches.“We are expecting an increase in the sale of rodents during the two weeks before and after Chinese New Year, because that’s when the youngsters have received their ang pow money,” Petsmore.com retail manager Sean Saw said.This practice of having promotions to coincide with the zodiac year is not a new one.“We always try to have some kind of promotion to mark the new zodiac year whenever possible,” Saw said.According to Jusco Home Centre Pet House manager Daniel Lee, although the store will not be selling imported and more exotic species of rodents this year, there will be a special promotional discount on white mice and various types of hamsters.“Hamsters are going at only RM15 each and white mice cost RM3 each,” Lee said.Although pet stores expect a demand, a chat with a few pet store visitors revealed mixed responses.“I’ve always wanted a winter pearl hamster, but my mother doesn’t agree. I’m giving it more thought this year,” Winnie Lim, 22, said.While his girlfriend is not too keen, Ian Heng, 25, is quite interested in keeping rodents as pets.“They’re quite cute, but I’m not too sure if I can keep them, what with work commitments and all,” he said.David Tong, 29, will never keep a rodent as a pet, Year of the Rat or not.“I don’t like rats, and because the Year of Rat does not really hold a significance for me, I’m not going to change my sentiments,” he said

By VIVIENNE PAL

www.thestar.com.my

Amulets Fashion Accessories for the Chinese New Year

     

Feast your eyes on this auspicious jade bracelets for the Chinese New Year… write-up on the significance coming soon! 

Gifts for Chinese New Year

      

One of the best gifts to bring to your friends during Chinese New Year is the Mandarin oranges, “Kum” in Cantonese means gold, so it signifies bringing gold to your friends and wishing them prosperity for the year. You can present the Mandarin oranges in attractive traditional hand-painted bamboo basket.  It should always be accompanied by the red packet, the traditional “hong bao” which contains money. More about Chinese New Year in my next blog. 

The first signs of the advent of Chinese New Year

         

Chinese New Year is around the corner, 7 February, which is just 3 weeks away. In Malaysia the first sign of Chinese New Year is when you walk into the shopping malls on 26 December, the day after Christmas and hear the Chinese New Year songs playing in the pipe-in music. It immediately gets you in the mood.

The first place I went was to the flower nursery, to choose the auspicious Chinese New Year plants, before the good ones ran out of stock. Of course it gets cheaper nearing the date but I want the best! You can read all about the plants and the significance in my last blog. I went to my regular nursery in Sungai Buluh, and got myself a dragon pussywillow, which is the latest plant this year. I love this tree because it is alive compared to the standard option which is quite “fake” to me. They made them colourful by soaking the cut stem into coloured liquid, thus the red and yellow pussywillow. I also grabbed the 2 best looking bamboo shoot plant shaped into flower vase. This vase signifies the golden urn where all the prosperity and good luck will be attracted to flow into the urn be kept in. I have to make sure I keep the mouth of the vase open. The next day, I marched back to the next shop to get the must-have plant, the lime plant. The happy colour orange is the colour of gold, thus signifies the tree of gold and prosperity. You can see in the picture the bamboo plant that looks like lotus flower. To quench your curiousity, notice the picture of the sprout growing from the golden egg, it is the lucky egg! You buy the golden egg, chip off the top shell, water it for a few days, and it will sprout. And in anticipation, there will be 4 digit lucky number on the sprout, and for the 4-digit punters out there, they will know what to do!

New plants for Chinese New Year

   

PLANTS are symbols of life and growth. For the Chinese, it is a must to have plants decorating their houses and gardens during the Chinese New Year celebration.  Some of the popular plants are, among others, bamboo shoots, lime trees, cherry blossoms and plum blossoms.   Apart from decorative purposes, each of them carries a special connotation that is usually synonymous with good health, longevity, good fortune, abundance of wealth, business growth and career successes.  Shopping for plants for next month’s Chinese New Year celebration will be more exciting and fun as there are many new choices, some quite out of the ordinary.  At the flower bazaar at the NZX Commercial Centre in Ara Damansara, lime fruit almost as big as pomelos are the big attraction among the shoppers.   “People like to buy these big lime trees as they are very special. Our lime trees are available in different styles. There are the one-tier, three-tier and also eight-tier ones,” Phoenix Ocean marketing director Eric Hong said.   Another newcomer is the dragon pussywillow that comes planted in pots, in contrast to the normal ones that come in vases without soil.  According to Hong, the Chinese love the new pussywillow as it is “alive” and will grow leaves, symbolising growth in many aspects in life.  The Bromeliad (pineapple or “ong lai” flower) in red, purple and yellow is another popular plant since it represents the arrival of fortune. “Ong lai” in Hockkien means “Fortune comes”.  “The plants here are not only suitable for decorating houses and offices; they make great gifts as well,” Hong said.  According to Hong, even non-Chinese purchase the plants because of their vibrancy and uniqueness.  Also available at the bazaar are the bamboo shoots, “change-your-luck” bamboos, bonsai, crystal soil, pussywillows, vases, plastic plants, decorative items and garden fountains.  The bamboo is very popular as a symbol of life, longevity and strength. It stays firmly rooted even in the face of fierce winds. For the Hokkiens, the bamboo plants represent their shelter from the evil demons that terrorised their ancestors during an ancient dark evil era.  The imported plants come from China and Taiwan while the homegrown ones are from Cameron Highlands.  “I will have cherry blossoms, tulips, chrysanthemums and more,” Hong said.   The bazaar, opened since Jan 1, is open from 10am till 11pm daily until the 15th day of Chinese New Year.   For more information, call 016-841 7887 (Jason) or 016-332 2322 (Melvin).  

By THO XIN YI  www.thestar.com.my Saturday January 12, 2008

Feng Shui Enhances- Golden Bowl

This is dedicated to my fellow blogger Oggin who is into feng shui. These are some Feng shui enhancers:-

- Gold and red bowl signifies prosperity, and become even more auspicious when you put oranges (kam, means gold in Chinese) inside, put this pot of gold in ur money corners, I usually put at the entrance of the house, the first thing to greet guest (especially good chi) when they enter your house. If you notice i tie red ribbons on the oranges, to further maximise the energy. If you noticed, i design this bowl to be deeper than usual so that it can catch the prosperity!

Of course, i also cater to those who want be subtle with their intentions so I also have smaller bowls (the third pic) to be discreetly put on places like office tables, You wouldn’t want your boss to stare at you right?

Also the big bowls are very auspicious gifts, fill them with oranges and is a perfect gift for house-warming or for the auspicious Lunar New Year. Your friends will be awed and will appreciate even more if they know the significance!

These bowls are hand-made from thin gold leaf (those you see at temples) there is a mini carat of gold there, and there are 13 layers of lacquer. Will let you know the intricasies of making it soon.