Posted: under China - History and Culture.
Tags: Boar, Chinese Characters, Dry Goods, Legend Says That, Sumptuous Food
jabo asked:
Nothing in specific could the answer be when asked why they get hooked with horoscope reading and the like. Walking along downtown China, one could sense the spirit of a well retained cultural heritage attached way back centuries ago. Along the streets are sumptuous food, china wares, dry goods and even shops like psychic reading. As the year unfolds, each coming year would always be associated with Chinese characters that stand to represent the year. These characters determine and are interpreted to gage how the year would be…. struggling or on its top.
A Look at History
The long and winding Chinese Zodiac fad can be traced dating from 2637 B.C. When it’s first cycle was introduced. It takes 60 years to complete the cycle, and each is made up of five cycles of twelve years each. The 78th will end on February 2044, it started on February 1984. For each of the twelve years, a specific animal is assigned to it. Legend says that, Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only the twelve, came to bid him goodbye. To reward the animals, he named a year after each one in the order that it arrived. The order is as follows; Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar. According to ancient beliefs, the animal that rules in the year to which they are born has a profound influence on their life.
Looking Deeper
Five main elements, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water is combined with each of the animal signs during the complete 60-year cycle. What exercises influence on once life is the element of the lunar sign.
A primal part of Oriental philosophy is the relationships among the five elements. These are divided into Conducive and Controlling interrelationships, and are as follows:
Conducive and contributing factor
We get water from metal. This implies that metal could be a container or any vessel for holding water. Corollarily, we can say that metal catches water. One idea to be deducted, is the feature of metal as the only element changeable into liquid when heated.
Woods existence can be attributed from water. The water in this sense is the dew or rain that enables plants to grow into life, thus it produce wood.In order to produce fire, wood is necessary. Fire cannot independently exist and necessitates the existence of burning wood. Ashes comes from the remnants of fire which becomes part of the earth again. It can be gainsaid that from fire we get earth. For metal to exist, it must be extracted from the earth, thus from earth we get metal.
Controlling
The existence of the five elements are interdependent of each other and each is controlled by another. It is thus presumed that; Since metal can be forged or melted with heat. Metal is controlled by Fire. Water is the only means to put out fire easily, thus it can be concluded that fire is controlled by water. Water is controlled by Earth. Canals are dug in the earth to irrigate fields or construct dikes to keep out or absorb water. Earth is dominated by Wood. Trees and their roots hold the soil together and get their food from the earth. Wood is controlled by Metal. Even the largest tree can be felled by the metal blade of an Axe.
In a nut shell
Anchored form the interpretations, Luna or the moon being the closest heavenly body on earth has shown visible power to man since the dawn of man’s existence.
The interrelation of these elements and beliefs as apart of human existence drives mankind to continuously attached to this belief. Reliance to its implication to ones living has been looked after since time immemorial. Man’s innate character to be connected with natural phenomena explains the continuous patronage and belief with signs. As far as Chinese Zodiac crazes is concern, there is nothing wrong with believing. Time tested passed from generation s to generations made it more intriguing and interesting. The interest to divulge what concerns the forthcoming year with elements and Chinese Zodiacs is just a natural and spontaneous reaction of humans. As long as we are living, we get crazy over anything. Crazy but sane.
Zach
Nothing in specific could the answer be when asked why they get hooked with horoscope reading and the like. Walking along downtown China, one could sense the spirit of a well retained cultural heritage attached way back centuries ago. Along the streets are sumptuous food, china wares, dry goods and even shops like psychic reading. As the year unfolds, each coming year would always be associated with Chinese characters that stand to represent the year. These characters determine and are interpreted to gage how the year would be…. struggling or on its top.
A Look at History
The long and winding Chinese Zodiac fad can be traced dating from 2637 B.C. When it’s first cycle was introduced. It takes 60 years to complete the cycle, and each is made up of five cycles of twelve years each. The 78th will end on February 2044, it started on February 1984. For each of the twelve years, a specific animal is assigned to it. Legend says that, Lord Buddha summoned all the animals to come to him before he departed from earth. Only the twelve, came to bid him goodbye. To reward the animals, he named a year after each one in the order that it arrived. The order is as follows; Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, monkey, Rooster, Dog and Boar. According to ancient beliefs, the animal that rules in the year to which they are born has a profound influence on their life.
Looking Deeper
Five main elements, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water is combined with each of the animal signs during the complete 60-year cycle. What exercises influence on once life is the element of the lunar sign.
A primal part of Oriental philosophy is the relationships among the five elements. These are divided into Conducive and Controlling interrelationships, and are as follows:
Conducive and contributing factor
We get water from metal. This implies that metal could be a container or any vessel for holding water. Corollarily, we can say that metal catches water. One idea to be deducted, is the feature of metal as the only element changeable into liquid when heated.
Woods existence can be attributed from water. The water in this sense is the dew or rain that enables plants to grow into life, thus it produce wood.In order to produce fire, wood is necessary. Fire cannot independently exist and necessitates the existence of burning wood. Ashes comes from the remnants of fire which becomes part of the earth again. It can be gainsaid that from fire we get earth. For metal to exist, it must be extracted from the earth, thus from earth we get metal.
Controlling
The existence of the five elements are interdependent of each other and each is controlled by another. It is thus presumed that; Since metal can be forged or melted with heat. Metal is controlled by Fire. Water is the only means to put out fire easily, thus it can be concluded that fire is controlled by water. Water is controlled by Earth. Canals are dug in the earth to irrigate fields or construct dikes to keep out or absorb water. Earth is dominated by Wood. Trees and their roots hold the soil together and get their food from the earth. Wood is controlled by Metal. Even the largest tree can be felled by the metal blade of an Axe.
In a nut shell
Anchored form the interpretations, Luna or the moon being the closest heavenly body on earth has shown visible power to man since the dawn of man’s existence.
The interrelation of these elements and beliefs as apart of human existence drives mankind to continuously attached to this belief. Reliance to its implication to ones living has been looked after since time immemorial. Man’s innate character to be connected with natural phenomena explains the continuous patronage and belief with signs. As far as Chinese Zodiac crazes is concern, there is nothing wrong with believing. Time tested passed from generation s to generations made it more intriguing and interesting. The interest to divulge what concerns the forthcoming year with elements and Chinese Zodiacs is just a natural and spontaneous reaction of humans. As long as we are living, we get crazy over anything. Crazy but sane.
Zach
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Dec 29 2008