Pig Under a Roof

It's Chinese character day! The word above means family, but it is revealing how it is put together. The first Chinese character is the one that means family (the second is hall) and it is significant. In the character there is a pig under the roof which can be a good thing for those of you thinking to yourselves "I wouldn't want a pig under my roof!" or "I have a pig under my roof and I wish s/he would cut down a little!". We don't know any friends who have pigs in their houses (though we do know someone with mice, turtles, several generations of gerbils and an iguana) but the pig has always been an important part of Chinese cuisine and culture.

In my opinion, pigs have always gotten a raw deal in Western imagery. They are very economical to raise compared to other farm animals and so they are common throughout the Far East, much more common than cattle. The pig stars as a character in Journey to the West, classic Chinese literature, representing the sensual individual who enjoys the pleasures of life. We even had a whole roast pig at our wedding, though not out of symbolism. (I assumed that we would have leftovers for weeks but discovered sadly that every scrap had been eaten.) I have even heard they make good and loyal pets though I don't want to test that out.