Page 395 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book

A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols 388

Water buffalo obeying a child (woodcut c. 1920)

Thai-speaking minorities in South China sacrifice a water buffalo at their ritual feasts.
They also hold buffalo-fights, in which two animals fight till one is defeated: it is then
cooked and eaten by the victorious side.
Many paintings show an old man riding on a water buffalo. This is Lao-zi, who is
supposed to have left China in this way. Another favourite motif is a little boy riding on
the buffalo – to show that the powerful animal can be obedient to a child.
See also Ox.