Page 349 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book

A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols 342

Because of the loess which covers North China, all the rivers and springs in that area are
yellowish-brown. In South China, however, clear springs are found, and these provide,
along with wells, the main supply of drinking water. Statues of gods were often erected at
spots where springs once appeared. In ancient Japan, too, small wooden shrines used to
be built at such places. The Chinese word for ‘spring’ can be written with two
components – the water radical plus a phonetic element meaning ‘perfect’, ‘complete’,
and it is semantically connected with the concept of ‘origin’.
Square Square

si-fang xing

In the ancient literature we learn of the ‘River Plan’ (he-tu) which is said to have emerged
one day from the waters of the Yellow River. This ‘plan’ had nine fields, to which
corresponded the nine rooms of the Ming-tang – a religious temple known as the ‘hall of
light’, which had inter alia an astronomical purpose. The nine rooms again seem to
correspond to a series of nine ‘planets’ enumerated according to the Indian tradition as:
Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Rahu and Ketu – the last two being
invisible ‘counter-worlds’ postulated in Indian astronomy. Another ancient scholar says
that the ‘River Plan’ was identical with a chessboard, which ties up with the cosmic
significance with which the ancient Chinese invested the game of chess. Recent research
has proved beyond reasonable doubt that the ‘plan’ was a magic square.
A ‘Book of the River Lo’ (Luoshu) is often connected with the ‘Book of
the River He’. This too seems to have been a magic square based on nine.
Step of Yu Step of Yu

Yu bu

This is a ceremonial dance-step, invented, according to legend, by Yu, one of the
mythical Emperors, who is supposed to have subdued the Great Flood. While doing
so, he is said to have taken on the form of a bear and danced in this measure. The
step is first mentioned in texts dating from the 2nd century BC, and it is still practised
today by Taoist priests in their sacrificial ceremonies. Taoists can use this step to kill
snakes and catch spirits; and it is also said that a certain kind of bird (zhen) uses this
technique to break open stones, out of which it then drags snakes.