Page 120 - Chinese Porcelain Vol I, Galland

88 CHINESE PORCELAIN.
— "
Horse. Gutzlaff, vol. i. p. 33 : The Chinese horse is very
small and We may ascribe this to want of attention
spiritless.
to the breeding of it."
Davis, vol. ii. p. 324 : "There is a white spotted species,
often represented in Chinese pictures, and which might be con-
sidered as the produce of imagination, had it not been verified
"
by the actual observations of our embassies (see No. 324).
The horse is considered as an emblem of wisdom.
" — "
Sheep (Doolittle says or Goats "). Middle Kingdom,"
"
vol. i. p. 252 : The domestic sheep is the broad-tailed species.
It is not so common as the goat in the northern provinces.
The tail is sometimes ten inches long, and three or four
thick."
The or is the
sheep goat sign of a retired life.
Monkey. — 228 : " The was first wor-
Doolittle, p. monkey
in return for some services rendered the
shipped supposed
individual who went to India, by special command of an
emperor of the Tang dynasty, to obtain the Sacred Books
—
of the Buddhist so some affirm. This
religion emperor
deified the monkey, or at least he conferred the august title
of ' the Great Sage equal to Heaven ' upon that quadruped.
The birthday of ' His Excellency, the Holy King,' is believed
to occur on the twenty-third of the second Chinese month,
when his monkey majesty is specially worshipped by men
from all classes of The is believed to have
society. monkey
the control of etc. It is
general hobgoblins, witches, elves,
also to be able to bestow health, protection, and
supposed
success on mankind, if not directly, indirectly, by keeping
away malicious spirits or goblins. People often imagine that
sickness, or want of success in study and trade, is caused by
witches and
hobgoblins. Hence the sick, or the unsuccessful,
the in order to obtain its kind offices in
worship monkey
driving away or preventing the evil influences of various
imaginary spirits or powers." P. 232 : " The black monkey
and the white rabbit are as the servants of
usually regarded
the god of courtesans. They are represented as having a
human but the head of a
body, monkey and of a rabbit."
P. 443: "Sometimes the carried in whilst
image, procession
praying for rain, represents a deified monkey."
Cock.— Doolittle, p. 232 : " In a certain temple near the