두꺼비 형상의 상징의미에 대한 고찰 - 고대 중국의 문헌과 도상을 중심으로

Abstract

In China, toads have been recognized as familiar and mysterious to humans since ancient times. The root cause of this perception is that toads are the spirits of the moon. In the primitive mythical era, the myth saying that the goddess, Chang-e, went to the moon after eating the elixir of life and became a toad was created, and since then the toad became an animal that symbolized the moon's important symbols, "eternality" and "immortal." In addition, the toad was considered a symbol of immortality due to the transformed appearance of Chang-e, who took the elixir of life in the myth, and the ecological habits of ecdysis and hibernation. As the color of the myth disappears, toads are recognized as animals of longevity. Thus, as one of Liuzhi that ensures a long life if eaten, especially the three-legged toad has been widely spread to the private sector. There was also a belief that seeing or eating toads could lead to the state of taoist hermit. The cinnamon, which lives with toads on the moon, is closely related to toads, and people still use passing the test idiom as the expression of "Breaking the cinnamon in the toad palace, the moon". On the other hand, toads are also related to wealth and nobility, and gold toads are typically worshipped as gods managing properties by people. The spiritual toad, including the gold toad, is often expressed as a toad with three legs, and the toad is a mysterious animal that goes with taoist hermit Liu Haichan. After the Ming Dynasty, Liu Haichan was transformed into a secular shape and flourished in the private sector, and the image of Liu HaiChan was loved by people as a blessing symbolizing immortality, longevity, passing, wealth and nobility together with a three-legged toad.