Like various domestic animals like goats and cattle, chicken has long been a creature that has served mankind well in history.
They are not just poultry to be consumed, but also lay eggs and can be very cute pets to keep.
It’s mandarin name 鸡 which is pronounced as Ji sound like the word 吉 which translates to happiness and auspiciousness.
It is associated with 5 positive characteristics of bravery, benevolence, civility, trust and militance.
Traditionally, roosters (also known as cock or cockerel) which refers to male chickens are never eaten in China. It is also taboo to kill them during the new year.
They never fail to welcome the mornings, courageous against other birds, and also takes care of it’s mate very well.
It also has it’s own zodiac sign after finishing as one of the first 12 in the infamous zodiac race.
They are therefore, well respected in ancient China.
So much so that the first day of the first lunar month is often referred to as the day of the chicken.
Legend of the rooster
It is said that during the creation of the universe, the chicken was the first animal created by the goddess NuWa (女媧). No question whether the chicken or the egg came first there.
The rooster is probably most famed in mythology as the Chongming bird (重明鸟).
Legend has it that the Chongming bird was offered as a gift to King Yao. It was a mythical bird with the appearance of a rooster but behaves like a phoenix. It was so strong that other wild animals like tigers were intimidated by it and fled the moment they see it. This reputation even spread into the spiritual world as it was believed that spirits and demons would avoid it. So villages started to carve out the bird from wood as scarecrows and painted them on their doors to ward off evil. Because of it’s close resemblance to the rooster, it slowly became that the rooster was used for these purposes of protection.
There’s also a light-hearted story of how the famed military strategist Zhuge Liang was frustrated in school when he was a child as class were ending before he had got his fill. This was because the resident cockerel would crow right on time to signify the end of class. To extend class timing, he fed the cockerel with a lot of rice. So the creature was too busy feeding instead of calling for time. Upon finding out of this scheme, the teacher realized the enthusiasm Zhuge Liang had for knowledge and forgave him even though he had clock a vast amount of unpaid overtime!
A crowing rooster signifies fame and unprecedented achievement.
When depicted with a beautiful crown as if it was combed, it represents a wish for the appointment to an official post.
When a cock is pictured with 5 chickens, it means that it is the patriarch’s job to properly bring up his kids. If the rooster is leading the 5 chicks back home, it signifies the kids passing examinations.
The auspicious painting of a rooster eating a worm while standing on precious treasures means that the house is protected by the rooster from harm.
When perched on a stone, it symbolizes the welcoming of good luck into the house.
It is sometimes thought that the sun bird is a rooster instead of the 3-legged crow.
In the classic text han shi wai zhuan (韩诗外传), the rooster was said to embody 5 virtues known as the fowl of 5 virtues. The 5 virtues are represented by the comb for literacy, claws for fighting ability, bravery, benevolence and punctuality.
Roosters in feng shui
In the practice of feng shui, the chicken is most often observed as a golden chicken meant to bring wealth luck being placed in the wealth corner of the house.
Keep in mind that if it’s accompanied by golden eggs, it’s obviously a hen.
Otherwise, it is used with regards to the relationships between zodiacs.
This means that someone can display it at home in order to boost his zodiac energy.
People seeking more helpful friends can also apply strategic placement to call on secret friends and allies when his zodiac is snake, dragon or ox.
It can also be called upon when there is the presence of both monkey and dog zodiacs. Take note that in the absence of monkey, dog would clash with rooster.
In the office, the rooster is a common remedy to combat the proliferation of unfavorable gossip and colleagues who are talking cock about you. It also helps one gain an edge over competitors working with you like a victory banner.
With regard to symbolic stars in bazi, the careful placement of roosters can also help to enhance the attribute of that particular symbolic star.
For example, if you have determined that your nobleman star is E10 (酉), this represents the rooster zodiac and the true west direction. Then displaying the rooster in this sector of the house can multiply noblemen luck or increase the power and influence of noblemen one meets.
Finally, be mindful that the rooster fundamentally represents metal energy. So do take this into consideration when placing them at home.
