In the Chinese language the sign of the Swastika is pronounced _wan_ (p.
801), and stands for "many," "a great number," "ten thousand," "infinity,"
and by a synecdoche is construed to mean "long life, a multitude of
blessings, great happiness," etc.; as is said in French, "mille pardons,"
"mille remercîments," a thousand thanks, etc. During a visit to the
Chinese legation in the city of Washington, while this paper was in
progress, the author met one of the attachés, Mr. Chung, dressed in his
robes of state; his outer garment was of moiré silk. The pattern woven in
the fabric consisted of a large circle with certain marks therein,
prominent among which were two Swastikas, one turned to the right, the
other to the left. The name given to the sign was as reported above, wan,
and the signification was "longevity," "long life," "many years." Thus was
shown that in far as well as near countries, in modern as well as ancient
times, this sign stood for blessing, good wishes, and, by a slight
extension, for good luck.
The author conferred with the Chinese minister, Yang Yu, with the request
that he should furnish any appropriate information concerning the Swastika
in China. In due course the author received the following letter and
accompanying notes with drawings:
* * * I have the pleasure to submit abstracts from historical and
literary works on the origin of the Swastika in China and the
circumstances connected with it in Chinese ancient history. I have had
this paper translated into English and illustrated by india-ink
drawings. The Chinese copy is made by Mr. Ho Yen-Shing, the first
secretary of the legation, translation by Mr. Chung, and drawings by
Mr. Li.
With assurance of my high esteem, I am,
Very cordially,
YANG YU.
Buddhist philosophers consider simple characters as half or incomplete
characters and compound characters as complete characters, while the
Swastika [Z] is regarded as a natural formation. A Buddhist priest of
the Tang Dynasty, Tao Shih by name, in a chapter of his work entitled
Fa Yuen Chu Lin, on the original Buddha, describes him as having this
[Z] mark on his breast and sitting on a high lily of innumerable
petals. [Pl. 1.]
Empress Wu (684-704 A. D.), of the Tang Dynasty, invented a number of
new forms for characters already in existence, amongst which [Z
circle] was the word for sun, [symbol] for moon, [circle] for star,
and so on. These characters were once very extensively used in
ornamental writing, and even now the word [Z circle] sun may be found
in many of the famous stone inscriptions of that age, which have been
preserved to us up to the present day. [Pl. 2.]
The history of the Tang Dynasty (620-906 A. D.), by Lui Hsu and others
of the Tsin Dynasty, records a decree issued by Emperor Tai Tsung
(763-779 A. D.) forbidding the use of the Swastika on silk fabrics
manufactured for any purpose. [Pl. 3.]
Fung Tse, of the Tang Dynasty, records a practice among the people of
Loh-yang to endeavor, on the 7th of the 7th month of each year, to
obtain spiders to weave the Swastika on their web. Kung Ping-Chung, of
the Sung Dynasty, says that the people of Loh-yang believe it to be
good luck to find the Swastika woven by spiders over fruits or melons.
[Pl. 4.]
Sung Pai, of the Sung Dynasty, records an offering made to the Emperor
by Li Yuen-su, a high official of the Tang Dynasty, of a buffalo with
a Swastika on the forehead, in return for which offering he was given
a horse by the Emperor. [Pl. 5.]
The Ts'ing-I-Luh, by Tao Kuh, of the Sung Dynasty, records that an
Empress in the time of the South Tang Dynasty had an incense burner
the external decoration of which had the Swastika design on it. [Pl.
6.]
Chu I-Tsu, in his work entitled Ming Shih Tsung, says Wu Tsung-Chih, a
learned man of Sin Shui, built a residence outside of the north gate
of that town, which he named "Wan-Chai," from the Swastika decoration
of the railings about the exterior of the house. [Pl. 7.]
An anonymous work, entitled the Tung Hsi Yang K'ao, described a fruit
called shan-tsao-tse (mountain or wild date), whose leaves resemble
those of the plum. The seed resembles the lichee, and the fruit, which
ripens in the ninth month of the year, suggests a resemblance to the
Swastika. [Pl. 8.]
[Illustration: PLATE 1. ORIGIN OF BUDDHA ACCORDING TO TAO SHIH, WITH
SWASTIKA SIGN. From a drawing by Mr. Li, presented to the U. S. National
Museum by Mr. Yang Yü, Chinese Minister, Washington, D. C.]
[Illustration: PLATE 2. SWASTIKA DECREED BY EMPRESS WU (684-704 A. D.) AS
A SIGN FOR SUN IN CHINA. From a drawing by Mr. Li, presented to the U. S.
National Museum by Mr. Yang Yü, Chinese Minister, Washington, D. C.]
[Illustration: PLATE 3. SWASTIKA DESIGN ON SILK FABRICS. This use of the
Swastika was forbidden in China by Emperor Tai Tsung (763-779 A. D.). From
a drawing by Mr. Li, presented to the U. S. National Museum by Mr. Yang
Yü, Chinese Minister, Washington, D. C.]
[Illustration: PLATE 4. SWASTIKA IN SPIDER WEB OVER FRUIT. (A good omen in
China.) From a drawing by Mr. Li, presented to the U. S. National Museum
by Mr. Yang Yü, Chinese Minister, Washington, D. C.]
[Illustration: PLATE 5. BUFFALO WITH SWASTIKA ON FOREHEAD. Presented to
Emperor of Sung Dynasty. From a drawing by Mr. Li, presented to the U. S.
National Museum by Mr. Yang Yü, Chinese Minister, Washington, D. C.]
[Illustration: PLATE 6. INCENSE BURNER WITH SWASTIKA DECORATION. South
Tang Dynasty. From a drawing by Mr. Li, presented to the U. S National
Museum Mr. Yang Yü, Chinese Minister, Washington, D. C.]
[Illustration: PLATE 7. HOUSE OF WU TSUNG-CHIH OF SIN SHUI, WITH SWASTIKA
IN RAILING. From a drawing by Mr. Li, presented to the U. S. National
Museum by Mr. Yang Yü, Chinese Minister, Washington, D. C.]
[Illustration: PLATE 8. MOUNTAIN OR WILD DATE.--FRUIT RESEMBLING THE
SWASTIKA. From a drawing by Mr. Li, presented to the U. S. National Museum
by Mr. Yang Yü, Chinese Minister, Washington, D. C.]
[Illustration: Fig. 31. POTTER'S MARK ON PORCELAIN. China. Tablet of
honor, with Swastika. Prime, "Pottery and Porcelain," p. 254.]
The Swastika is one of the symbolic marks of the Chinese porcelain.
Prime[110] shows what he calls a "tablet of honor," which represents a
Swastika inclosed in a lozenge with loops at the corners (fig. 31). This
mark on a piece of porcelain signifies that it is an imperial gift.
Major-General Gordon, controller of the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich,
England, writes to Dr. Schliemann:[111] "The Swastika is Chinese. On the
breech chasing of a large gun lying outside my office, captured in the
Taku fort, you will find this same sign." But Dumoutier[112] says this
sign is nothing else than the ancient Chinese character _c h e_, which,
according to D'Alviella,[113] carries the idea of perfection or
excellence, and signifies the renewal and perpetuity of life. And
again,[111] "Dr. Lockyer, formerly medical missionary to China, says the
sign [Z] is thoroughly Chinese."
The Swastika is found on Chinese musical instruments. The U. S. National
Museum possesses a Hu-Ch'in, a violin with four strings, the body of which
is a section of bamboo about 3-1/2 inches in diameter. The septum of the
joint has been cut away so as to leave a Swastika of normal form, the four
arms of which are connected with the outer walls of the bamboo. Another, a
Ti-Ch'in, a two-stringed violin, with a body of cocoanut, has a carving
which is believed to have been a Swastika; but the central part has been
broken out, so that the actual form is undetermined.
Prof. George Frederick Wright, in an article entitled "Swastika,"[114]
quotes Rev. F. H. Chalfont, missionary at Chanting, China, as saying:
"Same symbol in Chinese characters 'ouan,' or 'wan,' and is a favorite
ornament with the Chinese."