Sheep are a kind of domestic animal that people are very familiar with. This kind of animal is kind and docile, eats grass and has great vitality. Mutton, sheepskin, wool, and goat's milk can all be used by humans. Therefore, it has strong economic value. It is said that West Asia was one of the first areas to domesticate sheep and goats, with a history of about 10,000 years. The domesticated animals in the early history of our country were mainly pigs, but the domestication of sheep has a history of more than 6,000 years, according to expert research.

The word "sheep" represents auspiciousness. The image of sheep has always been cute and docile. Sheep are mankind's loyal friends and close partners. Then let us feel the charm of Chinese characters together in the history of world civilization and China's five thousand years of splendid culture, and understand the past and present life of the Chinese character "sheep"——

The character "sheep yang" The method of making characters is still called "pictographic characters". Although the oracle bone glyphs and gold glyphs are slightly different, they both look like a simplified sheep head: the curved horns and ears, especially the curved horns, make people know at a glance that it is not another animal, but a sheep. Sheep.

It is said that Confucius was amazed after seeing these hieroglyphics: "The characters for cattle and sheep are expressed in shapes."

In Chinese culture, "sheep" means twelve One of the zodiac signs, matching the "Wei" of the twelve earthly branches. Sheep is also one of the surnames. "Guangyun" believes that the surname Sheep comes from Mount Tai, after the doctor Sheep Tongue in the Spring and Autumn Period.

Sheep are docile and kind. They eat grass without competing with others for food, and they will not harm humans. The sacrifice of sheep can be eaten, and the skin can be used for clothing, which can not only satisfy the hunger but also keep warm. Therefore, the ancients regarded sheep as an auspicious sign of good luck and good fortune based on practicality and utilitarianism.

Ancient objects are often decorated with the word "auspicious sheep", and this "single" is also the word "xiang" in later generations. For example, the "Jia Dao Inscription of the Han and Yuan Dynasties" is engraved with: "Yihou, great luck for the sheep."

The picture above is the banner of Fu Baoshi's Su Wu Shepherding Picture "Su Wu Shepherding Picture" banner, which was painted in the Guiwei year (1943). Painting by Fu Baoshi, on paper, ink and color, length 62cm, width 84.8cm.

This painting freezes the scene of the generals of the Han Dynasty coming to welcome Su Wu back home: This painting was painted in the late period of the Anti-Japanese War. The artist used the story of Su Wu to express the mighty and unyielding national integrity and the confidence to win the Anti-Japanese War. Its meaning is far-reaching.

"Liezi·Shuofu": "The great road will lose its sheep because of its diversity, and the scholars will lose their lives in many ways."

Yang Zhu was a person from the Warring States Period. One day, Yang Zhu's younger brother Yang Bu went out wearing white clothes. When I came back, because it was raining, I borrowed a black dress from a friend and came back. His dog chased him and barked. Yang Bu was very angry and wanted to beat the dog with a stick. Yang Zhu advised him: "Stop beating the dog. Think about it calmly: If your dog was white when he went out and turned into a black dog when he came back, would you be able to recognize it?" ”

Yang Zhu’s neighbor lost a sheep. The neighbor's whole family went out to search, and then came to Yang Zhu's students for help. Yang Zhu said: "It's just a lost sheep. Why do so many people look for it?" The neighbor said: "Because there are too many side roads." Everyone came back empty-handed in the evening. Yang Zhu asked: "Why are so many people still there?" Can't find it?" The neighbor said, "Hey, there are forks in the road. We don't know which way the sheep went." Yang Zhu didn't say anything all day long. "Sheep lost on the wrong road" means that things are complex and changeable, and if you don't have the right direction, you will go astray.

In the next lecture, we will gradually explain the characters in the picture above around the character "sheep" one by one, and then unravel their relationship with the character "sheep" and reveal the affinity between the characters. .