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Web of Proceedings - Francis Academic Press

On the Cultural Connotation of Pigeons

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DOI: 10.25236/icallh.2019.043

Author(s)

Jie Zhao

Corresponding Author

Jie Zhao

Abstract

Pigeon is a common bird which plays an important role in traditional Chinese culture. The Chinese character of pigeon pronounces like “Ge”, which is the sound of the bird’s calling. Therefore, pigeons are named for their chirping. They first distributed in northern China, and then gradually spread to the southwest of China as well as the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Pigeons have been regarded as delicious food from the pre-Qin period to this day. Trained pigeons can deliver letters. Since the Six Dynasties, pigeons have become a symbol rich in Buddhist meanings in Chinese culture. At the same time, the image of obscene pigeons originating from Buddhist scriptures has little influence on the Chinese. In our country, the bird mainly conveys the meaning of auspiciousness and beauty.

Keywords

Pigeons, culture, custom, Buddhism