Real and Mythical Animals zhōng guó de dòng wù wén huà 中 国 的 动 物 文 化 Real and Mythical Animals

Similar to other cultures, in China, some animals are given certain symbolism and used in a metaphorical way to express human feelings.

Dragon and Phoenix 龙和凤 The dragon and phoenix are mythical creatures venerated by the Chinese, and intrinsically linked to their culture identity.

Dragon image The head of a camal The antlers of a deer The eyes of a rabbit The ear of an ox The neck of an erpent The scales of a fish The mane of a horse The claws of an eagle The palms of a tiger

The Chinese long regarded the dragon as a powerful divine being, who freely roamed high clouds and deep water and commanded changes in the weather at will. The first emperor of the Han dynasty, Liu Bang, claimed his father was a dragon. Since then the dragon gradually become a symbol of imperial power and a representative of the emperor.

1、 wǔ lóng 舞 龙 dragon dances 2、sài lóng zhōu 赛 龙 舟 dragon boat race (on the fifth day of the lunar month ) 3、lóng de chuán rén 龙 的 传 人 （the descendents of long）

Phoenix 凤 The head of chiken The neck of serpent The chin of a swallow The back of a tortoise The tail of fish It’s skin has five colors It is over 2 meters in length

Magpie 喜鹊 In Chinese literally means joyful bird, is a harbinger of good and happy things. According to the legend ,on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month the cowherd Niu Lang and his lover, the weaving fairy Zhi Nǚ, go to the milky way for their once annual meeting. To assist them in making their way there, a group of magpies form a bridge so they can be reunited.

As a result, we get an idiom què qiáo xiāng huì 鹊 桥 相 会 , means meat at the magpies’ bridge, indicate the reunion of a couple or lovers after a long separation. nǐ zhī dào zhōng guó de qíng rén jié shì nǎ tiān ma ？ 你知 道 中 国 的 情 人 节 是 哪 天 吗 ？

Swallow 燕子 Swallows also enjoy a similarly favorable status in Chinese culture. If swallows nest in the roof of a Chinese family’s house, the hosts will never disturb them , because it’s believed that it will bring luck to the family.

Tiger 老虎 The tiger is regarded as a king of wild creatures and symbolizes unlimited power , courage , dignity , and military prowess. It is often depicted in Chinese paintings and idioms, including wò hǔ cáng lóng 卧 虎 藏 龙 mǎ mǎ hu hu 马 马 虎 虎

Wolf and fox 狼 和 狐狸 Other creatures disliked and distrusted by Chinese are wolves and foxes。The wolf is considered a fierce and ruthless beast devoid of gratitude . Expressions that include the character for wolf are replete with derogatory meanings, example: 狼心狗肺，狐朋狗友

The fox is considered cunning and plotting The fox is considered cunning and plotting. A cunning person is sometimes referred to as an old fox(老狐狸)， and an evil woman as a fox demon (狐狸精)。

Dogs There is an ambivalent attitude towards dogs in Chinese culture . Though they are considered loyal and reliable, most phrases that include dogs have derogatory connotations, such as 走狗or 狗腿子， which means henchman or jackal

十二生肖 There are 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. In order, they are : Rat ,ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. The Chinese zodiac is a 12-year cycle, as each animal representing one year. There are many legends surrounding the conception of these 12 signs.

According to the Chinese zodiac, your sign is the animal of the year in which you were born. Every 12 years, therefore, your sign comes around once again. This is called your Zodiac year(本命年), and happens when you turn 12, 24, 36,48,60 and so on. Your zodiac year is considered a sensitive and unlucky period.

How can we protect us from misfortune during this unlucky period?

1、Red belt 2、Red underwear 3、Red socks It is a common practice for people in their zodiac year to wear at least some red 1、Red belt 2、Red underwear 3、Red socks

Animals have played an important role in the life and culture of Chinese people from prehistoric tomes. In a sense, there is no distinction made between real and mythological animals when they are seen as symbols.

1、What is the animal that the Chinese have the highest regard for? Questions 1、What is the animal that the Chinese have the highest regard for? 2、Why did the dragon become a symbol of imperial power?

4、What are the animals that Chinese people do not like ? 3、What are the favorite animals of Chinese people, in addition to dragon and phoenix? 除了龙和凤，中国人还喜欢哪些动物？ 4、What are the animals that Chinese people do not like ? 中国人不喜欢哪些动物

十二生肖 鼠: Rat is the first in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac. The Years of the Rat include 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020, 2032...  牛： Ox is the second in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign. Years of the Ox include 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021, 2033...

虎：Tiger is the third in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign 虎：Tiger is the third in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign. The Years of the Tiger include 1914, 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022, 2034... 兔：Rabbit is the fourth in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign. The Years of the Rabbit include 1915, 1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023... 

Rat 1984; Ox1985;Tiger1986; Rabbit1987;Dragon1988;Snake1989; Horse 1990;Sheep1991; Monkey 1992;Rooster1993; Dog1994; Pig 1995; Another round: Rat 1996;Ox 1997;Tiger 1998…….

Topic Animals’ image of Zimbabwe