Eastern Influences Part 2 :
Maneki Neko
Welcome, friends! By your coming to this website you, no doubt, have some curiosity into the world of anime and/or manga. However, there may be some gestures or rituals that take place which you may not fully understand or even notice. To that end, please enjoy these tidbits, treasures and other amusing pieces of trivial knowledge in what I’m calling...
Eastern Influences
A primer on the japanese culture to enhance your knowledge and enjoyment of anime and manga.
Today's subject is a recognizable face in the world of eastern culture, the "Maneki Neko", translated literally to "the beckoning cat". It is also know as the lucky cat, welcoming cat, fortune cat or simply money cat. It is a small statue of a feline, sitting on its back paws with one front paw raised and the other at its side, or holding an old coin. I had always seen the little statue at stores but never known its history. Upon reading a volume of xxxHolic however, I was given a bit of a primer on where he came from.
Origins - While Maneki Neko's exact origin is unknown, there are many legends behind it. It is often thought to have originated in the Edo period(1603-1867) though the earliest written record is from 1870. The most widely accepted attribution notes that a nobleman was walking down a road. He suddenly spied a cat that seemed to be waving at him. In the japanese culture when one waves a hand back and forth with the palm outward it is a sign of beckoning or saying "come here" rather than a wave greeting as in the west. The nobleman found this intriguing and went to the cat. This diversion from his journey actually ended up saving him from a trap that was just ahead on that road. Since that time, cats have been considered wise and lucky spirits.
Legends - The maneki neko actually has more legends surrounding it and here are some of the more popular.
*Temple Cat(this was the story in the xxxHolic extras section) - A rich feudal lord was taking shelter under a tree in a rain storm. There was a temple across the road where the lord saw the monk's cat making the beckoning gesture. The lord went to the cat and just as he did, a bolt of lightning hit the tree he was just under. The lord became good friends with the cat's owner and the temple thrived. When the cat died the first Maneki Neko statue was built to honor it.
*The Courtisan - A courtesan named Usugumo live in eastern Tokyo with her beloved cat. One night the cat began tugging at her kimono. No matter how much she tried to shoo it away it kept at it. Thinking it possessed the brothel owner cut the cat's head off. The cat's head flew to the ceiling, killing a serpent that was ready to strike. To cheer her up about her loss, a customer created a wooden likeness of her cat.
Variations - The maneki neko is available in many different materials, colors, even gestures and each of these tend to have a different meaning.
*Gesture - The figure is available with either right or left paw raised, or both. The left paw raised is supposedly good luck to bring in customers, sometimes specifically for drinking establishments (Those who are stout drinkers in japan are referred to as hidari-kiki, or "left-handed) Right paw raised is often thought to bring luck and wealth. It is also believed that the higher the paw, the greater the effect.
*Color - While a majority of maneki neko comes in a calico type coloring, there are several colors used, each meaning something different.
Calico - also called mi-ki, is often thought to be the most lucky, since it is a very rare coloring in the japanese bobtail cat.
-White - a sign of purity
-Black - supposedly ward off evil, especially liked by women as they are supposed to keep away stalkers. Rarely they are also related to good health.
-Red - Keeps away evil spirits and illness.
-Gold - Associated with wealth.
-Pink - non-traditional, but recently associated with love.
-Purple - Related to artistic prowess
-Green - Helps with academics
*Accessories - Bibs, bells and such often decorate the neko, but these are generally symbolic of the garb used on cats in the older periods of history. The coin is the most used. It is a replica of one koban, an ancient form of coin worth one ryo(somewhat equivalent to $1,000). It is simply symbolic of the luck in wealth the figure is said to bring. Thus, since the 1890s the neko was used as a coin bank, much like the western "piggy bank". Often coins are left on neko statues in front of stores or in public places, reminiscent of the "wishing well".
Well, now you know how big a historical significance this eastern icon has. Until next time, sayonara!