The Patterns from the 12 Chinese Zodiac by Dan Luo

12 THE PATTERNS FROM The 12 CHINESE ZODIAC Tang Dynasty

Dan Luo

12 THE PATTERNS FROM The 12 CHINESE ZODIAC Tang Dynasty

Dan Luo

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

1. ABOUT THE COLLECTION

2. THE NAMES

3. THE ORIGIN

4. CHINESE ZODIAC vs. DI ZHI

5. DI ZHI and ANIMALS

THE PATTERNS FROM CHINESE ZODIAC

1. ROLL GRASS PATTERNS

2. PEONY PATTERNS

3. RIPPLE PATTERNS

4. CLOUD PATTERNS

5. GEOMETRIC PATTERNS

6. RU YI PATTERNS

7. FIRE PATTERNS

8. COMBINATION PATTERNS

INDEX + REFERENCES

INTRODUCTION

â&#x20AC;˘ ABOUT THE COLLECTION The catalog is a collection of patterns. They were collected from the lithography of the Chinese Zodiac stone engraved by artist Yang, Zhiyi and other anonymous artists in Tang Dynasty. I select the twelve figures of Chinese Zodiac because they have many representative patterns developed in Tang Dynasty which is the most flourishing dynasty in China history. The purpose of collecting the patterns from Chinese Zodiac is to discuss the meanings of the patterns and the cultural history of the twelve Chinese Zodiac.

• THE NAMES English:

Chinese Character:

Chinese phonetic alphabet:

CHINESE ZODIAC

生肖

SHENG XIAO

Rat

鼠

Shu

牛

Niu

Tiger

虎

Rabbit

兔

Dragon

龙

Long

Snake

蛇

She

Horse

马

Sheep

羊

Yang

Monkey

猴

Hou

Rooster

鸡

Dog

狗

Gou

Pig

猪

Zhu

• THE ORIGIN

NOTES: [1] a day into 12 parts: Ancients didn’t have the concept of 24 hours a day. Each day is divided into 12 时辰(bi-hours unit):

生肖(pronounced as SHENG XIAO) in English is known as Chinese Zodiac.

In this system, each year is related to one of twelve animals according to a 12–years circle.

21:00-23:00 亥(Hai) PIG 19:00-21:00 戌(Shu) DOG 21

There are many versions of the derivation of Chinese Zodiac. The widely accepted version was from a historical document , 论衡(Lun Heng) by Wang, Chong in Han Dynasty. It is the first document that recorded the derivation of Chinese Zodiac. In this document, each year was assigned to one of the twelve animals according to Di Zhi, a calendar scheme in ancient China. In Han Dynasty, the ancients divided a day into 12 parts [1], individually: 子(Zi), 丑(Chou), 寅 (Yin), 卯(Mou), 辰(Chen), 巳(Si), 午(Wu), 未 (Wei), 申(Shen), 酉(You), 戌(Xu), 亥(Hai), generally called: 12-Di Zhi. Each Di Zhi is assigned an animal according to its attributes. Therefore, the 12 animal also called: 子 (Zi) 鼠(Rat), 丑(Chou) 牛(Ox), 寅(Yin) 虎(Tiger), 卯 (Mou) 兔 (Rabbit), 辰(Chen) 龙 (Dragon), 巳(Si) 蛇(Snake), 午(Wu) 马(Horse), 未(Wei) 羊(Sheep), 申 (Shen) 猴(Monkey), 酉(You) 鸡(Rooster), 戍 (Xu) 狗(Dog), 亥(Hai)猪 (Pig).

17:00-19:00 酉(You) ROOSTER

23:00-1:00 子(Zi) RAT

1 2 3 1:00-3:00 丑(Chou) OX 3:00-5:00 寅(Yin) TIGERA

7:00-9:00 辰(Chen) DRAGON

9:00-11:00 13:00-15:00 未(Wei) 11:00-13:00 巳(Si) SNAKE SHEEP 午(Wu) HORSE 10 14 13

5:00-7:00 卯(Mou) RABBIT

DI ZHI

15:00-17:00 申(Shen) MONKEY

REFERENCES: ‘Lun Heng’ <论衡>, Wang, Chong, Han Dynasty ‘Shan Hai jing’ <山海经>, Dynasty Qin

â&#x20AC;˘ CHINESE ZODIAC vs. DI ZHI There are few documents that explained why the ancients selected the 12 animals to represent each of the years. Based on the folklore, it was decided by one of Chinese Gods. However, according to the history and culture in ancient times, in my opinion, the reasons of assigning animals to each year perhaps are related to totem culture. In ancient China, people believed they had been in a unique relationship with a certain animal since the days they were born. In their belief the animal related to them could protect them and their personality would keep some of the animalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attributes. Gradually, it formed a statement that the person at different animal year will have different destiny.

REFERENCES: http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/14786118 http://baike.baidu.com/view/11006.htm

• DI ZHI and ANIMALS

R AT

子鼠 Zi (子) : 23:00 - 1:00

As a nocturnal (night-active) animals, rats are very active at 23 pm to 1 am.

丑牛 Chou (丑) : 1:00 - 3:00 It is the time that oxen prepare to plough the field.

寅虎 Yin (寅) : 3:00 - 5:00 Tigers go to hunt for its prey with ferocity during the period

TIGER

RABBIT

卯兔 Mou (卯) : 5:00 - 7:00

At this time, the moon is still showing on the sky without sunrise. The Moon rabbit begins to make medicine for God. The rabbits on the earth start to forage.

DRAGON

辰龙 Chen Long (龙) : 7:00 - 9:00

Dragons give the rain to the earth during this time. In ancient China, people believed the dragons holding the power of water were living in the river and ocean. They were able to fly to the sky giving rain to the earth.

SNAKE

巳蛇 Si (巳) : 9:00 - 11:00

Snakes wake up to crawl out of their nest during 9:00-11:00.

午马

H O R S EWu(午) : 11:00 -13:00 It is a good time for the sky horse (Pegasus) soaring across the sky.

S H E E P未羊 Wei (未) : 13:00-15:00 Sheep eat grass and grow fast during this time.

DOG

戍狗 Shu (戍) : 19:00 - 21:00

申猴 Shen (申猴) : 15:00 - 17:00

At this time, dogs start to guard house.

Monkeys are full of energy at 3pm to 5pm.

PIG PIG

ROOSTER

亥猪 Hai (亥) : 21:00 - 23:00

From 9pm to 11pm, everything is coming to stillness. Pigs are snoring in a dream.

MONKEY

酉鸡 You (酉) : 17:00 - 19:00

When the night is coming at 5pm to 7pm, roosters come back to their nest.

REFERENCES: The image from: Website h t t p : / / w w w. c n t c a . c o m / t u a n / s h e n g x iao/2007/02/06/104140426.html Book <中国历代生肖纹饰艺术> by 郑军 ISBN: 7 - 102 - 02862 - 8 Text refer to Website http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_rabbit http://www.ccview.net/misc/tgdz.htm http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/14786118

THE PATTERNS FROM CHINESE ZODIAC

ROLL GRASS PATTERNS

Roll Grass Patterns Roll Grass Patterns of Tang Dynasty(618â&#x20AC;&#x201C;907) are traditional Chinese patterns abstracted from the structures of flowers such as lotuses and peonys to create an S-shape. According to the historical document, the origination of roll grass patterns in China was from ancient painted pottery. The elegant curve painting, which is on the top of the pottery, is the embryonic form of roll grass pattern because it shows the basic structure.

REFERENCES: http://wenku.baidu.com/ view/1ff76135eefdc8d376ee32d7.html http://www.zget.org/html/2010-07/9671.html

PEONY PATTERNS

Peony Patterns The Peony Pattern, one of Chinese traditional patterns, has prevailed during Tang Dynasty(618-907). According to the folk tale, the pattern has the meaning of immortal and treasure. The peony shape is a major part composed with various patterns such as roll grass patterns and patterns of flowers and plants. Peony patterns developed from the lotus pattern that was applied in many grotto art works since the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420-589). Coming into Tang Dynasty, lotus pattern grew into one kind of luxurious configuration that used the visual elements of the peony implied luxury and immortal as major body part. Accordingly, peony patterns had the visual feature from both of peony and lotus.

REFERENCES: www.gongmeigroup.com.cn/wangzhenwww/试谈“宝相花”.doc

Parts of the peony pattern

RIPPLE PATTERNS

Ripple Patterns Originally, ripple patterns were discovered from ancient painted pottery of the Neolithic age. The pattern had been transformed into lots of variations that had been used as decoration in many ways. The most common type is that people used ripple patterns as a meaningful decoration on the back of ancient coins because the implication of the pattern is that fortune will continually come to people as the water comes out of the hole of spring.

REFERENCES: http://www.esgweb.net/Article/ziliao/shoucangcidian/taociwenshi/200811/46319.htm http://www.hudong.com/wiki/ 彩陶装饰纹样 http://www.gbscw.com/2009/1228/292.html

CLOUD PATTERNS

Cloud Patterns Initially, cloud patterns were composed by using one line to create the shape of Chinese character-ĺ&#x2021;¸. In Tang Dynasty, the shape completely turned into curve head shape as showing in the image. In my opinion, in Tang Dynasty the curve and rolling style of cloud patterns combined the visual elements from the roll grass pattern to enrich the visual impact. The meaning of cloud patterns is that cloud will bless for peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s career, which means he/she will get promotion continually.

REFERENCES: http://yichan.folkw.com/www/minjiangongyi/15083596.html http://www.sh1800.net/furniture/texture/545-2.htm

GEOMETRIC PATTERNS

Geometric Patterns Geometric patterns were created by series of simple shapes such as circles, triangles, lines, dots and rectangles, etc. The patterns were the shapes abstracted from animals, plants and the tools people used every day, etc. to form many different kinds of geometric patterns such as triangular patterns, net patterns.

REFERENCES: http://www.chinaqking.com/原创作品/2010/67294.html http://zyk.bjiad.net.cn/package.jsp?id=97

RU YI PATTERNS

Ru Yi Patterns Ru yi actually is a talisman of Buddhism. It is an S-shaped ornamental object, usually, made of jade , formerly a symbol of good luck. Sometimes, the pattern will compose with other patterns, such as peony patterns and cloudy patterns.

REFERENCES: http://article.nma.org.cn/article/2009/06/17497.html

FIRE PATTERNS

RU YI PATTERNS

Fire Patterns Fire patterns are also called sun patterns. It represents the ancient venerated the power of fire because they believed that the fire/ the sunshine is the source of everything on the earth.

REFERENCES: http://www.9tiancao.com/newsinfo/?1320. html http://wenwen.soso.com/t/z78602.htm

COMBINATION PATTERNS

Combination Patterns Combination patterns mean different patterns composed together to form another pattern. The development of these forms of patterns reached an unprecedented point during Tang Dynasty. The variation rooted in the culture of Tang Dynasty which is the most prosperous period in China history. The country flourished and people lived in peace. For instance, the shape and the structure of roll grasses patterns became much richer and fuller with various transformations, which not only square repeated the pattern but also composed with other forms such as, animal pattern, geometrical.

NOTES: Althought some patterns are similar to combination patterns, they are the derivative of the prototype rather than combination patterns.

REFERENCES: http://www.scribd.com/doc/7196743/ 论唐代文化的多元化对植物装饰纹样的影响

Roll grass pattern + penoy pattern

Roll grass pattern + Ru Yi pattern

INDEX + REFERENCES

Roll Grass Patterns

Peony Patterns

Ripple Patterns

Cloud Patterns

Geometric Patterns

Ru Yi Patterns

Fire Patterns

Combination Patterns

References http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/14786118

www.gongmeigroup.com.cn/wangzhen- http://zyk.bjiad.net.cn/package. jsp?id=97 www/试谈“宝相花”.doc

http://baike.baidu.com/view/11006.htm

http://www.esgweb.net/Article/ziliao/shoucangcidian/taociwenshi/200811/46319.htm

http://www.cntca.com/tuan/shengxiao/2007/02/06/104140426.html <中国历代生肖纹饰艺术> by 郑军 ISBN: 7 - 102 - 02862 - 8 http://www.ccview.net/misc/tgdz.htm http://zhidao.baidu.com/question/14786118 http://wenku.baidu.com/ view/1ff76135eefdc8d376ee32d7.html http://www.zget.org/html/2010-07/9671. html

http://www.hudong.com/wiki/ 彩陶装饰纹样

http://article.nma.org.cn/article/2009/06/17497.html http://www.9tiancao.com/newsinfo/?1320.html

http://www.scribd.com/ http://www.gbscw.com/2009/1228/292. doc/7196743/ 论唐代文化的多元化对植物装饰纹样的影响 html http://yichan.folkw.com/www/minjiangongyi/15083596.html http://www.sh1800.net/furniture/texture/545-2.htm http://www.chinaqking.com/原创作品/2010/67294.html

THE PATTERNS FROM The 12 CHINESE ZODIAC Tang Dynasty Dan Luo