2020, these cute jade mice should not be underestimated

“Jade must be crafted, the craftsmanship must have meaning, and the meaning must be auspicious” is an old saying known to everyone in the jade carving industry. Jade carvers often draw their carving themes from folk beliefs, myths and legends, and creatively use the homophonic sounds of animals and plants, all of which have beautiful meanings.

2020 is the Year of the Rat. Rat is the first of the twelve Chinese zodiac animals; it also represents intelligence and alertness.

In traditional culture, rats and humans have an inseparable relationship. The Yi myth "The Man Coming Out of the Gourd" says that humans originated from a sealed gourd. Rats bit a hole in the gourd, and humans were born. The Yao myth "The Legend of Millet" and the She myth "Why Rice Ears Look Like Rat Tails" both mention that rice seeds were brought to humans with the help of rats.

In folk culture, mice are portrayed as clever and smart, and they can also spit out treasures and money, making them a lucky charm in the hands of the God of Wealth. In addition, the word "rat" and "number" (shu) in Chinese characters for counting money are homophones, so jade-carved rats symbolize bringing in wealth, prosperous business, and counting money. Wearing a jade-carved rat also symbolizes counting money for generations.

For various reasons, using mice as carving subjects has a long history in my country. This small animal, which has become a favorite of jade carvers, has been given many beautiful meanings.

The two jade white rats standing on the big cake with their heads stretched out symbolize a good harvest. The jade rat crouching on the three-dimensional carved large-scale lucky bag is clever and alert. The several golden copper coins on the purse symbolize "mouse brings wealth". The meticulous carving design makes the work interesting and also contains the creator's good wishes.

In addition, mice are called "son gods" because of their amazing reproductive ability, which symbolizes many children and a long line of descendants.

In addition to symbolizing wealth and the wish for many children and blessings, jade-carved mice also have the important significance of warding off disasters and praying for blessings, which should not be underestimated.

In the old days, people would hold a rat worship ceremony in the first month of the lunar calendar, also known as "the rat's daughter's wedding." There was also a custom of placing candies, peanuts, etc. in a dark place, and banging large objects such as pot lids and dustpans to urge the rats to get ready. By sending the rats away in the form of "marrying a daughter," people would pray that the rats would not steal their food in the coming year, and at the same time drive away disasters and plagues, ensuring a good harvest and surplus every year.

Whether it is a legend or folk belief, the relationship between humans and mice reflects the concept of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. In this Gengzi Year that occurs only once every sixty years, perhaps we should think more deeply and have more respect for nature.

At the beginning of the new year of 2020, the novel coronavirus swept across China, casting a gray curtain over the Year of the Rat. However, Geng is a sign of innovation, and Zi is the first of the twelve Earthly Branches. The coming of the Year of the Rat heralds the beginning of a new journey. Isn’t the ringing of the New Year’s alarm a wake-up call?

In the Year of the Golden Rat, let the jade rat not only help us avoid disasters and drive away evil spirits, but also bring us harvest and hope in the new journey that is about to begin!

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