中國俗談에 나타난 12地支 動物의 象徵意味考察

A Study on the Symbolic Meanings of the Animals of the Twelve Earthly Branches in Chinese Proverbs

This study investigates the symbolic meanings of the 12 earthly branches in Chinese proverbs, and are classified roughly into the two groups of negative and positive categories. Consequently, dragon and horse have comparatively more positive symbolic meanings, whereas mouse, snake, and pig have comparatively more negative symbolic meanings. Ox, tiger, rabbit, sheep, monkey, fowl, and dog have both sides. In the case of monkey and dog, there are more negative symbolic meanings than positive symbolic meanings. These classifications are enough to foresee the shape and characteristic of the animals. I was unexpected that dog has negative symbolic meanings except for loyalty to man, and pig has negative symbolic meanings except regarding it property.