Jade Rat (鼠) Carving (Myanmar / Burma)
Jade Rat Carving
Mineral: Jade var. Jadeite
Origin: Myanmar (Burma)
Color: Dark Green
Treatment: None
Approximate dimensions: 2.3cm x1.4 cm x 0.9cm
Weight: 4g
Note: Does NOT stand on it's own.
10% of this purchase will be donated to The Biodiversity and Nature Conservation Association (BANCA)
The rat is rather surprisingly the first in the cycle of twelve zodiacal animals, the story goes that a rat was smart enough to jump onto the back of the ox to get to the head of the queue of animals when they were being named. The character for rat 鼠 shǔ is a pictograph showing its head, tail and whiskers. The mouse is called 小鼠 xiǎo shǔ ‘little rat’ in contrast to 大鼠 dà shǔ ‘big rat’, the mouse plays little part in legends and superstitions. It is considered a ‘yin’ female animal.
The constant activity of rats has been paralleled with the acquisitive action of misers and so rats are associated with money. In one legend it was rats that brought rice to people's attention as a nutritious food. However it is also thought they can turn into demons and some legends have them becoming quails at spring time.
The squirrel (松鼠 sōng shǔ) uses the same character in Chinese, confirming the western nickname ‘tree rat’ and has the same symbolism. Rats and squirrels are often shown with trailing plants such as vines to grant the wish of having generations of children.
Color may vary in images and videos due to different lightings and angles.
