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Jin
Viewing everything posted on January 9, 2012
Symbolism and Imagery in Aunt Wu’s village
The circular door to Aunt Wu’s house is called a moon gate 月亮门.
Moon Gates have many different spiritual meanings for every piece of tile on the gate and on the shape of it. The sloping roofs of the gate represent the half moon of the Chinese Summers and the tips of the tiles of the roof have talisman on the ends of them.
The cloud design we see on the villagers’ clothes are a pun on the word ‘yun’, since both clouds 云 and luck 运 are pronounced that way.
This specific, and wildly used pattern, resembles the ling zhi mushroom, the 'mushroom of immortality’.
This pattern is to symbolize never ending luck and good fortune.
Read more about: The Hidden or Implied Meaning of Chinese Charm Symbols
The stone totems outside of Aunt Wu’s village
According to the official art book (p. 65), the stone totems we see outside of Aunt Wu’s village (and in the opening sequence) are based on Korean stone totems called Dol hareubang
Dol hareubangs, also called tol harubangs, hareubangs, harubangs, are large mushroom-like statues found on Jeju Island off the southern tip of Korea. They are considered to be gods offering both protection and fertility and were placed outside of gates for protection against demons travelling between realities.
Recycling is serious business, guys!