Page 320 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book

A-Z 313
All rivers have their patron gods, and one must not forget this. In ancient times, human
sacrifice was made to them; in later times, this was replaced by ritual sacrifice in the
temple. A celebrated legend tells how, after a breach in a dam, the river overseer had a
boy thrown into the waters of the Yellow River, as instructed in a dream. Thousands of
workers then had to shovel earth over the breach. But suddenly a giant hand rose from the
middle of the flood, and everyone fell to the ground in awe. The boy was elevated to the
status of river-god.
Stories about heroes who dive into the water to fight with the river-god are known in
various parts of China. In modern folklore the dragon-king is supposed to dwell in big
rivers, and to expect sacrifices. Drowned people are very dangerous: they cannot be
reborn until they have found ‘substitutes’, so they lurk near rivers looking for bathers
whom they then drag down in the water.

Rosary

nian-zhu

The rosary came to China along with Buddhism. It consists of beads, usually of wood or
kernels, which are decorated in various ways. No fixed number is laid down, the usual
rosary has 108 beads – i.e. 100 for 100 separate prayers, and an additional 8 in case your
arithmetic has let you down. This number is otherwise explained as being composed of
the 12 months, the 24 divisions of the year, and the 72 five-day divisions:
this makes 108 a sacred number.
One often sees elderly Chinese with strings of stone or wooden balls in their hands.
These are meant to keep the fingers supple – or to help one’s thoughts to wander.

Rose (Red)

qiang-wei

In China, the rose enjoys nothing like the prestige it has in Europe. It is indeed an
emblem of youth, but not of love.
It is also the plant which can stand for all four seasons.