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1、Symbolism-In-Symbolism-In-Chinese-CultureChinese-Culture1.TheDaoismViewofNatureandNumbersThewholeuniverseismadeoftwobasicforces:yin(阴)andyang(阳)Yin:thefeminineornegativeprincipleinnature.Yang:themasculineorpositiveprincipleInnature.Yinandyangarethoughttoarisetogetherfromaninitialquiescenceoremptines
2、s(wuji,无极),andtocontinuemovingintandemuntilquiescenceisreachedagain.CharacteristicsofYin YangYinyangareopposingYinyangdescribeopposingqualitiesinphenomena.Forinstance,winterisyintosummersyangoverthecourseofayear,andfemininityisyintomasculinitysyanginhumanrelationships.Itisimpossibletotalkaboutyinory
3、angwithoutsomereferencetotheopposite.YinyangarerootedtogetherSinceyinandyangarecreatedtogetherinasinglemovement,theyareboundtogetheraspartsofamutualwhole.Aracewithonlymenoronlywomenwoulddisappearinasinglegeneration,butmenandwomentogethercreatenewgenerationsthatallowtheracetheymutuallycreate(andmutua
4、llycomefrom)tosurvive.Theinteractionofthetwogivesbirthtothings.YinyangtransformeachotherLikeanundertowintheocean,everyadvanceiscomplementedbyaretreat,andeveryrisetransformsintoafall.E.g.Aseedwillsproutfromtheearthandgrowupwardstowardsthesky-anintrinsicallyyangmovement.Thenwhenitreachesitsfullheight,
5、itwillbegintoweaken,andeventuallywillfallbacktotheearthindecay-anintrinsicallyyinmovement.Yinalwayscontainsthepotentialforyang,andyangforyin.Yin-yangarebalancedYin-yangisadynamicequilibrium.TheyarisetogethertheyarealwaysequalIfonedisappears,theothermustdisappearaswell,leavingemptiness.Thisisrarelyim
6、mediatelyapparent,though,becauseyangelementsareclearandobviouswhileyinelementsarehiddenandsubtle.Yin-yangareomnipresente.g. time/space/relationship:Chinese place names: 洛阳、淮阴 food:寒凉、滋阴壮阳medicine: 针灸(acupuncture) 通则不痛,痛则不通,阴阳失调 so energy line system rebalanced2. Yin and Yang Corresponding EnergiesYi
7、nYangDarkLightMatterSpiritEarthSkyFemaleMalePassiveActiveEvenNumbersOddNumbersCanaddmoretothisbinarysystem:winter/summer,death/life,cold/hot,Sothepointisbasicallythereisnodistinctionbetweengood/bad,etc,numbersinclusive.Allareindispensablepairsinthissystemofbalance.3. Why Lucky and Unlucky numbers?We
8、stern:religion?7:lucky13:unluckyChinese:1)traditionalChinesephilosophy2)wordsthatsoundsimilar(homophones)4. Meaning of Numbers一(一(y):unity/initiation/beginningDaoism:“Onebegetstwo.”fatherofthechildrenofnumbersholdsyang/masculineenergy.hasathrustingenergythatsurgesforthnewgrowthandpotential.e.g.一心一意(
9、yxnyy)九九归一(jijiguy)二二 (r):duality/germination/harmonymotherofnumbersevennumber:feminine/yinenergy.“goodthingscomeinpairs”(好事成双hoshchngshung)e.g.weddingapairofredcandles/pillows/shoescouplets三(三(sn):Thefirstoffspringfromtheunionofnumbers1and2.numberthreeisforeverlinkedwiththesanctityoflife,progenyand
10、childbirth.AssociatedwithendingsintheChinesemeaningofnumbers.(三军、三生:notmeans“three”)Fromthree,thefamilyofnumbersbranchesouttocreatediversityandcomplexity.Daoism:GreatTriad(Heaven-Mankind-Earth)whichcanbelooselytranslatedtomeanthepathfromobscurityintomanifestation.Daoism:“ 道生一,一生二,二生三,三生万物道生一,一生二,二生三
11、,三生万物, 万物归于道。万物归于道。” Alsosoundssimilartoshng(生,birthor升,rising)四四 (s):soundssimilartos(死,death)Manynumberedproductlinesskipthe4“oranynumberchainsendingwith“4”Butitsoundssimilartosh:事(things)or世(world,life)e.g四四如意=事事如意(shshry):Everythingdoneaswished.四季发财(sjfci)Mayyoubeprosperousallfourseasons.五五 (w):
12、associatedwiththefiveelementsinChinesephilosophyThedoctrineoffivephasesdescribestwocycles,ageneratingorcreation(生,shng)cycle,alsoknownasmother-sonandanovercomingordestruction(克/剋,k)cycle,alsoknownasgrandfather-nephew,ofinteractionsbetweenthephases.GeneratingWoodfeedsFire;Firecreates/producesEarth(as
13、h);EarthbearsMetal;MetalcarriesWater(e.gH2Oiscreatedbyreactionscatalyzedbymetaloxideswhenmoltenvolcanoeserupt);WaternourishesWood.Othercommonwordsforthiscycleincludebegets,engendersandmothers.OvercomingWoodpartsEarth(suchasroots);Earthabsorbs(ormuddies)Water;WaterquenchesFire;FiremeltsMetal;Metalcho
14、psWood.Also:WoodabsorbsWater;WaterrustsMetal;MetalbreaksupEarth;EarthsmothersFire;FireburnsWood.Thiscyclemightalsobecalledcontrols,restrainsorfathers.SignificanceofWuXingTheoryfeng shui: e.g. architectureTraditionalChinesemedicine五脏(阴)六腑(阳)Martialarts:TheFiveStepsofTaijiMusic/astrology/sensoryForbid
15、denCity:5arches/5gatesFolklore: Wu Fu Lin Men (五福临门)(五福临门)Wu Fu Lin Men (Cont)Alsosoundssimilartow(吾):poetic“I”e.g吾爱吾生w(我):520=Iloveyou555=呜呜呜六(六( li):harmony/expansione.g.六合(lihe)sixcosmicpointsofdirections:东、西、南、北、上、下pronouncedsimilartoli(流,fluid)e.g.六六顺(lilishn)六六大顺Good/smoothforbusiness.e.g.666:
16、oneoftheluckiestnumbersofallAW666:licenseplatenumberedwassoldforRMB270,000Western:devilsnumber?七(七(q):spiritualorghostly.Theseventhmonth:“GhostMonth”.notcommonlyassociatedwithluck.TraditionalChineseMemorialDays:7*7=49days1st7:头七2nd7:二七.7th7:尽七BUT Chinese Valentines Day七夕节(qxji):OnJuly7accordingtoChi
17、neseLunarcalendarAlsocalledTheGirlsFestival(女儿节)Originatedfromlegendarystory“TheCowherdandtheWeavingMaid”(牛郎织女,nilngzhn)TheCowherdandtheWeavingMaid”(牛郎织女)The Storyaboutthe7thdaughterofEmperorofHeavenandanorphanedcowherd.TheywereseparatedbytheEmperor.The7thdaughterwasforcedtomovetothestarVegaandtheco
18、wherdmovedtothestarAltair.Theyareallowedtomeetonlyonceayearonthedayof7thdayof7thlunarmonth.鹊桥会(quqiohu)Example:鹊桥仙FairyOfTheMagpieBridge秦观byQinGuan(1049-1100)纤云弄巧Amongthebeautifulclouds,飞星传恨Overtheheavenlyriver,银汉迢迢暗度Crossestheweavingmaiden.金风玉露一相逢Anightofrendezvous,便胜却人间无数Acrosstheautumnsky.柔情似水Sur
19、passesjoyonearth.佳期如梦Momentsoftenderloveanddream,忍顾鹊桥归路Sosadtoleavethemagpiebridge.两情若是久长时Eternallovebetweenustwo,又岂在朝朝暮暮Shallwithstandthetimeapart.Chinese Ceremonies Girlspreparefruits,melonsandincenseasofferingstotheweavingmaidenGirlsthrowthefive-colorropesontheroofformagpies.Magpieswillcarryropes
20、tobuildthebridge.Girlspraytoacquirehighskillsinneedlecraft,hopingtofindsatisfactoryhusbands.Intheevening,peoplesitoutdoorstoobservethestars.AncientSeventh-sisterParty八(八(b):soundssimilartof(发:prosperityorwealth). 发isshortfor发财(fci):getrich恭喜发财(gngxfci):congratulationsandgetrich.InChineseNewYearitcan
21、meanHappynewyear!Congratulationsandbestwishesforaprosperousnewyear!Alsoavisualresemblancebetweentwodigits,“88”and囍囍ThemostfavourednumberinChinesecultureExamples:InChengdu:telephonenumberwithalldigitsbeingeightswassoldfor$270,723InHangzhou:licenseplatereadingA88888forRMB1.12million(roughly$164,000USD
22、).TheopeningceremonyoftheSummerOlympicsinBeijingarescheduledtoopenon8/8/08at8:08:08pm.Morephonenumbers:6252-8888.HolidayInnCrownPlazainShanghai6279-8088:NorthwestAirlines6247-8888:ChinaTravelServices九(九( ji):thegreatestofsingle-digitnumberswashistoricallyassociatedwiththeEmperorofChinaNumber9isahomo
23、phoneofthewordfor“longlasting”(久,ji)Itsignifiesfriendship,love,andlonglife.e.g长久(chngji)长长久久友谊地久天长(yuydjitinchng)Mayourfriendshiplastforever.Double-9th Day (重阳节,(重阳节,chngyngji)ontheninthdayoftheninthmonthinChineselunarcalendar.Thehighestoddnumber,oryangnumber,appearsindouble,soliterallydoubleyang.ah
24、istoryofmorethan2,000years.Main Conventionsgoingonajourneyascendingheight(HeightAscendingFestival)insertingcornelappreciatingchrysanthemumeatingDouble-Ninthcakeanddrinkingchrysanthemumwine.TheChinesegovernmentsetSeptember9inthelunarcalendarastheEldersFestivalin1989.NowtheDouble-NinthDayhasbeenenlistedasIntangibleCulturalHeritageofChina.5. Number Combinationse.g168:“roadofprosperity”orto“beprosperoustogether”.Fun with Number Combinations145181314131492088、886ClosingRemarks1)信则有,不信则无。2)Beauty/Auspiciousnessisintheeyeofthebeholder?ThankYou39!结束结束