Text: Brother Panda.
The Chinese nation has a rich history, and the stories of our ancestors have evolved into hand-me-downs in later generations, and some of these eye-catching words have become common sayings. Among the common sayings passed down by the toiling masses and ordinary people, some are conclusive, while others are quite controversial. Take the saying "men are afraid of chickens, women are afraid of sheep", what kind of cultural connotation is hidden behind it?
How did the saying "men are afraid of chickens" come about?
Although it is difficult to verify the specificity of "men are afraid of chickens", there is a profound cultural concept behind this statement. The toiling masses believe that the key reason lies in "hard work". The rooster announces the dawn, that is, the rooster crows early in the morning, symbolizing the hard work of leaving early and returning late. No matter how cold or freezing, 365 days of non-stop labor makes chickens synonymous with hard work.
In ancient society, the social status of agricultural businessmen had a certain order, and the idea of official status had a far-reaching influence. Although peasants and workers were higher in rank than merchants, in fact, because merchants held money, their status was second only to ** and much higher than that of peasants. Therefore, the ancient people longed for their children and grandchildren to become ** first, followed by commercial activities, and only in desperation would they engage in agriculture and manual labor.
It is based on this concept that the saying "men are afraid of chickens" has been formed.
How did the saying "women are afraid of sheep" come about?
Similar to "men are afraid of chickens", the saying "women are afraid of sheep" also comes from another saying - "ten sheep and nine are incomplete". Although the specific ** of this proverb is difficult to trace, the survey shows that its appearance can be roughly traced back to the last years of the Qing Dynasty, especially the reign of Cixi.
During this period, Cixi's actions caused dissatisfaction among the people. According to Cixi's physiognomy, some literati created the saying "ten sheep and nine incomplete", arranged Cixi's family life, and pointed out that her husband (Xianfeng) and son (Tongzhi) died before her, and Tongzhi had no descendants. This statement portrayed Cixi in a negative light, and the saying that "women are afraid of sheep" spread among the toiling masses.
However, we need to be rational about this statement. The men in the palace, especially the emperors of the Qing Dynasty, were surrounded by women all year round, and excessive indulgence was the norm. In the late Qing Dynasty, the Qing emperors also had a large number of smoking habits, which were related to infertility and early death. Cixi's crime is conclusive, but it does not make all sheep women a difficult fate.
Men are afraid of sheep, and women are afraid of chickens".
In fact, the saying "men are afraid of chickens, women are afraid of sheep" is scientifically untenable. It was impossible for the ancients to use animals with bad meanings as the genus of man. Some people say, for example, that a certain sheep is divorced, and a certain chicken is seriously ill, but this is only a manifestation of the "pendulum theory". Divorced and seriously ill people are found in all the zodiac signs, so why only mention sheep and chickens?
It is worth noting that Cao Cao and Li Shimin are both chickens and are not doing badly. Similarly, Cixi, who belongs to the sheep, is also doing well, such as the female star Zhang Ziyi, who is also a sheep. Therefore, the conclusion drawn from individual cases that "men are afraid of chickens and women are afraid of sheep" has no scientific truth and is pure nonsense.
In general, there is no profound cultural connotation behind this proverb, but a traditional concept of subjective assumptions about a specific genus. In modern society, we should abandon outdated superstitious concepts, treat life rationally, and not label fate because of our appearance.
Interpret the collision between traditional concepts and modern concepts :* "men are afraid of chickens, women are afraid of sheep".
In Brother Panda's article, the interpretation of the saying "men are afraid of chickens, women are afraid of sheep" can't help but trigger my thinking about traditional concepts and modern ideas. Although this proverb has been widely spread among the people in the past, Brother Panda's article calls on us to abandon outdated superstitious concepts and treat life rationally through in-depth analysis, which is worthy of our deep thought.
First of all, Brother Panda pointed out that the saying that "men are afraid of chickens" is rooted in the concept of hard work. This view stems from the special view of labor in ancient society, which associated the lifestyle of leaving early and returning late and working non-stop with the "rooster", making this zodiac sign to some extent a symbol of dislike. However, in modern society, we should look at individual efforts and labor more rationally, rather than judging a person's fate with a zodiac label.
Secondly, for the interpretation of "women are afraid of sheep", Brother Panda made it clear that this statement is related to "ten sheep and nine incomplete". Through a review of the history of the last years of the Qing Dynasty, he points out that the popularity of this proverb is related to the negative image of Cixi. However, this kind of inference based on individual cases not only lacks scientific basis, but also tends to mislead people's subjective judgments about sheep women. In today's society, we should abandon the stereotypes of individual historical figures in the past, and not be prejudiced against a certain group of people because of their affiliation.
More importantly, Brother Panda clearly pointed out the unscientific nature of this proverb. Through the "pendulum theory" and specific case studies, he critiques this way of thinking that links divorce and illness to specific zodiac signs. The absurdity of this way of reasoning lies in the fact that the changes that occur in life often do not have a single causal relationship, but are the result of the interweaving of many complex factors. Therefore, it is unscientific to use this colloquial saying as a common evaluation criterion for individuals or groups, and it is easy to lead to people's blind obedience and prejudice.
Finally, Brother Panda calls on us to look at life rationally and not blindly follow superstition because of common sayings. Modern society pays attention to the concept of individual development and pluralism, and emphasizes one's own efforts and choices for the grasp of destiny. Therefore, we need to deepen our understanding of traditional culture while accepting its inner meaning, retaining the beneficial ideas and discarding superstitions and stereotypes in it.
On the whole, Brother Panda's article not only provides an in-depth analysis of the saying "men are afraid of chickens, women are afraid of sheep", but also guides us to establish a more rational and open way of thinking through historical and scientific analysis. At the intersection of traditional culture and modern ideas, we should keep an open mind, look at life with a broader vision, not be bound by outdated concepts, and pursue a more comprehensive and scientific outlook on life.
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