The Swastika
Dispersion of the Swastika
Chu-I-Tsu, in his work entitled Ming Shih Tsung, says Wu Tsung-Chih, a learned man of Sin Shui, built a residence outside of the north gate of that town, which he named “Wan-Chai,” from the Swastika decoration of the railings about the exterior of the house [Pl.7.]
An anonymous work, entitled the Tung Hsi Yang K’ao, described a fruit called shan-tsao-tse (mountain or wild date), whose leaves resemble those of the plum. The seed resembles the lichee, and the fruit, which ripens in the ninth month of the year, suggests a resemblance of the Swastika [Pl.8.]
The Swastika is one of the symbolic marks of the Chinese porcelain. Prime (1) shows what he calls a “tablet of honor,” which represents a Swastika inclosed in a lozenge with loops at the corners
(fig.
31). This mark on a piece of porcelain signifies that it is an imperial
gift. Major-General Gordon, controller of the royal Arsenal at Woolwich, England, writes to Dr. Schleimann: (2) “The Swastika is Chinese. On the breech chasing of a large gun lying outside my office, captured in the Taku fort, you will find the same sign.” But Dumoutier (3) says this sign is nothing else than the ancient Chinese character c h e, which according to D’Alviella, (4) carries the idea of perfection or excellence, and signifies the renewal and perpetuity of life. And again, (2) “Dr. Lockyer, formerly medical missionary to China, says the sign
is thoroughly Chinese.”The Swastika is found on Chinese musical instruments. The U.S. National Museum possesses a Hu-Ch’in, a violin with four strings, the body of which is a section of bamboo about 3 ½ inches in diameter. The septum of the joint has been cut away so as to leave a Swastika of normal form, the four arms of which are connected with the outer walls of the bamboo. Another, a Ti-Ch’in, a two-stringed violin, with a body of cocoanut, has a carving which is believed to have been a Swastika; but the central part has been broken out, so that the actual form is undetermined.
Prof. George Frederick Wright, in an article entitled “Swastika,” (5) quotes Rev. F. H. Chalfont, missionary at Chanting, China, as saying: “Same symbol in Chinese characters ‘ouan,’ or ‘wan’ and is a favorite ornament with the Chinese.”
ENDNOTES:
1. “Potter and Porcelain,” p. 254. [Back]
2. “Ilios,” p. 352. [Back]
3. “Le Swastika et la roue solaire en Chine,” Revue d’Ethnographic, iv, pp. 319,350. [Back]
4. “La Migration des Symboles,” p. 55. [Back]
5. New York Independent, November 16, 1893; Science, March 23, 1894, p. 162. H. Mis. 90, pt. 2----51 [Back]
<< Previous Page Next Page >>
© 2004-2007 Northvegr.
Most of the material on this site is in the public domain. However, many people have worked very hard to bring these texts to you so if you do use the work, we would appreciate it if you could give credit to both the Northvegr site and to the individuals who worked to bring you these texts. A small number of texts are copyrighted and cannot be used without the author's permission. Any text that is copyrighted will have a clear notation of such on the main index page for that text. Inquiries can be sent to info@northvegr.org. Northvegr™ and the Northvegr symbol are trademarks and service marks of the Northvegr Foundation.
|