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11-7-2003 - 7:50 a.m.

The Word for Today is:Maneki Neko

Huh JJ?

When we were cruisin� the various Chinatowns in Vancouver, Seattle and (of course) San Francisco, my sister, (the ever glamorous Lacy) kept buying these funny little cat figurines that were everywhere. Lacy is a gurly gurl and a �Hello Kitty� collector, so I really didn�t think it was too odd. She is moving into a new apartment soon and claimed that she was going to use the little cats to �decorate the bathroom�.

"Ah, Mankei Neko" said Mikey, a Chinatown native and general know-it-all. The Beckoning Cat. He is supposed to bring prosperity��

"Is it a Feng Shui thing" I ask the venerable and wise Dr Tiu.

He rolled his eyes "JJ ! Feng Shui is NOT about junking up your home with cheap Japanese tchotchkes" I am amused that a Chinese-American is using a Yiddish word to describe a Japanese knickknack.

We aim to be culturally diverse here in Justinland.

Apparently Mankei Neko is very popular with people other than Midwestern bathroom decoraters. Japanese business owners place the cat near the entrance to their establishments. The raised left paw is a greeting for potential customers. Potential customers =wealth. So it is a Feng Shui thang�sorta. And it worked too because Lacy would see the cats, go in and buy a bunch of them.

The color of the cat is also a key to what fortune lies in store. A male tricolor cat is rare and therefore considered lucky, particularly by sailors. White, the second most popular color, symbolizes purity. A red or black cat keeps away evil (the black ones are especially popular among women as a talisman to ward off stalkers). And while not a traditional maneki neko color, the pink cat brings love (witness the joyous rapture bestowed by maneki's modern day cousin, Hello Kitty).

It's difficult to know where the tradition of keeping a maneki neko began, as there are almost as many legends surrounding its origin as there are figurines. Perhaps the most plausible is that it comes from a corruption of a ninth century Chinese saying: "If a cat washes its face, a visitor will come."

If that one lacks mystery, take your pick of any of these old Edo legends:

Legend of Gotokuji

In 17th century Edo, the priest of a rundown temple kept a cat named Tama. "Tama," the priest would complain, "I'm poor but I still take care of you. Isn't there something you can do in return for the temple?" One day Lord Naotaka Ii was caught in a thunderstorm nearby and he took refuge under a tree. Standing there, he noticed a cat inviting him towards the temple. His curiosity aroused, he headed towards the cat. Just then, the tree was destroyed by lightning. Grateful, the priest's temple was designated the Ii family's temple and went on to great prosperity. Upon Tama's death, the cat was buried in the temple's cemetery and maneki neko was invented in the cat's honor.

Legend of the Courtesan

In mid-eighteenth century Edo, there was a courtesan named Usugumo who was well-known for the affection she bestowed on her cat. One night her cat ran underfoot, tugging and pulling at the hem of her kimono, refusing to let go. A man came to her rescue and, suspecting that the cat was possessed, lopped off its head with a sword. The head flew to the ceiling and killed a snake poised to attack Usugumo. To console her, a customer gave the distraught Usugumo an image of the cat carved from wood, and thus started maneki neko.

The Imado Legend

In late 19th century Edo, there lived an old woman whose poverty was so extreme she was forced to give up her cat. The cat came to her in a dream one night and instructed her to make an image of it in clay. To her surprise, people bought it. The more she made, the more they bought, and thus the maneki neko saved her from poverty.

The Ramen Shop Legend

Two competing ramen-ya stood side by side in Asakusa. One shop put a beckoning cat in its window. All the customers flocked to this shop until-you guessed it-the other shop installed its own. This is one little feline that pays off.

Tomorrow we will explaing 'The 3 Wise Monkeys



Go Back
Previously in Justinland: Our Last Five Entries

Wagons Ho! - 4-23-2004

This Old Barn - 4-17-2004

Death and Taxes - 4-15-2004

MMQB:Leftover Peeps - 4-12-2004

The Alamo; The Movie not the Shrine - 4-10-2004


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