Symbolism Monkeys in Chinese culture



method of writing , scribe ink brush , monkey paper, athanasius kircher s 1667 china illustrata


reflecting simial likenesses among humans, monkeys, , apes, many languages symbolically use monkey; ape words in reference people. english monkey, instance, can mean mischievous child , person minimal intelligence and/or bad looks , or menial employee repetitive job ; , ape can mean uncivilized person , wild; crazy , or imitate; mimic . compare chinese words houzi 猴子 monkey; mischievous/glib person , hour 猴儿 monkey; endearing term child , , houjing 猴精 monkey spirit; clever , roguish person .


zhou dynasty culture symbolically contrasted gibbon gentleman; sage (junzi 君子 or sheng 聖) , macaque commoner; petty person (xiaoren 小人).



a sharp distinction drawn … between superior gibbon , inferior macaque. macaque, coming down inhabited areas forage, , therefore seen , caught, became familiar sight in daily life. trained macaques formed part of performances of travelling showmen, amusing young , old alike clever tricks. gibbon, on contrary, inhabiting did upper canopy of primeval forest, seen , extremely difficult catch, regarded denizen of inscrutable, forbidding world of high mountains , deep valleys, peopled fairies , goblins. accordingly, macaque symbol of human astute trickery of human credulity , general foolishness; , gibbon symbol of world of supernatural, mysterious , remote man s daily life. (van gulik 1967:37)



see zhuangzi stories (under daoism ).


eberhard (1968:52) describes traditional chinese literary motif monkeys seduce , impregnate women, give birth either monkey-child or monkey spirit. thus, in popular mind , says eberhard (1986:192), monkey can symbolize adulterer.







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