Page 280 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book
P. 280
A-Z 273
An ox delineated in Chinese characters
Bull-fighting was known among some of the aboriginal minority groups in South
China, and the sport was taken over by the Chinese. Two bulls were matched with each
other: the loser was slaughtered and eaten by both parties to the contest. Often, these
‘bulls’ were in fact water buffalo. Some authorities say that these contests are ritual re-
enactments of a fight with a river god in the shape of an ox which took place in West
China. Clearly, however, we have here a fertility cult, as during the fight the aboriginal
women danced and beat drums with an abandon reserved otherwise for their ‘Drum-
dance Feast’. This feast took place at the end of the harvest: in Korea on the 5th day of
the 5th month.
Oyster
li
In many dialects the word for oyster (li) is identical with the word for ‘younger brother’
(di in guoyu). Oysters presented to a woman who has just given birth express the wish
that the new baby may soon have a younger brother.
