Page 229 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book

A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols 222
Both Buddhist and Confucian ideas on present suffering and the happiness that can be
attained went into the making of Kang You-wei’s vision of a new ordering of society. In
his ‘Book of the Great Equality’ (Da tong shu, 1902) he specifies five barriers which
must be torn down if this great equality is to be realised. The fourth chapter is entitled
‘How to eliminate barriers between the sexes and give women equality’; the fifth deals
with ‘How to get rid of the Confines of the Family, and turn Humanity into “People of
Heaven” ’. Kang’s book had some influence both on moderate reformers and on later
cultural-revolutionary ideas.

The joys of conjugal life

Folk art, old and new, is rich in symbols depicting conjugal bliss. For some of
these see the following: Goose, Kingfisher, Lotus, Magpie, Mandarin Duck, Narcissus,
Orchid, Phoenix.
See also Fate, Feelings, Flying, He-he, Ice, Marriage, Rain, Ren, Red, Spring, Wood
Oil Tree.

Ma-zu

Ma-zu is a goddess who is worshipped especially on the coast of South China. She is
accompanied by ‘Thousand-mile Eyes’ (Qian-li yan) and ‘Favourable-wind Ear’ (Shun-
feng er), both of whom she captured on Peach-blossom Mountain, and who help her to
rescue fishermen in peril on the deep. On 14 April 1960 her 1,001th birthday was
celebrated in her temple in Peikang (Taiwan) (traditionally she was born on 19 April
901). Her cult has spread along the coastal regions and up the big rivers of China, and has
even reached Brazil and California. In her role as goddess, Ma-zu is given the title of
‘Queen Empress of Heaven’ (tian-hou).