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Myths and Man - Symbols - Donkey lu
Myths and Man - Symbols - Donkey "lu" Donkey is a recent term in the English language for ass. Originally ass was the word used to define all "Equus asinus" a part of the horse family with odd-toed ungulate. Only recently has the word "donkey" come to mean the pony-sized ass while ass still refers to the larger sized animal. The ass is said to have been domesticated over 3,000 years ago about the same time as the horse, but this date may be a little short of the actual time man and ass have been in contact with each benefiting one another. The ass is deemed to be not as fast as a horse and probably were easier to corral and capture. The ass lives longer, easier to maintain and has great endurance; thus making it a more desirable animal to have around. In western cultures because of the use of the word ass is considered vulgar and rude most references to ass have been transfered to donkey. But you should know that a "donkey" is an ass, and an "ass" is a donkey. Although calling someone a "dumb donkey" does not seem to carry the same meaning as calling someone a "dumb ass". Donkeys tend to be quite intelligent, cautious, friendly, playful, and eager to learn. This may be why donkeys have a long rich history in myth and as symbol. The donkey (ass) has a long history of being associated with the gods. The donkey is a recognized symbols for the Egyptian god, Ra as well as the Greek god, Dionysus. The donkey get numerous references in the Bible. In the gospels of the Bible, Jesus Christ rides a donkey into Jerusalem just before being placed on the cross. Some say this is why the donkey has a cross across its shoulders and the hair from this shoulder area can heal. In European folklore, the tail of a donkey can be used to heal whooping cough and scorpion stings. In America, the donkey has come to symbolize the Democratic Party. The Americans see the donkey when referring to a person as someone who is dumb, stubborn, and stupid. Donkeys should resent such a comparison. The donkey is much smarter than that and will not tread where its life might be put into danger. Donkey "lu" in China like in America is seen as a stupid animal. The donkey was seen fit only to be ridden by poor people and minor officials. Holy men held in less esteem are often depicted riding a donkey. One of the eight Immortals, Zhang Guo-lao rides a donkey; and when he dismounts, he folds the donkey up and stores it away in a bamboo case. In the Beijing area, at the Temple of the Eastern Mountains stands a bronze donkey that is said to have powers of healing. Each New Year's Day the sick come to touch the areas of the donkey where the person's body is affected. The donkey's genitals have been completely rubbed away over the years, yet no one is ever seen approaching this particular area of the donkey. In classic Chinese novels, the donkey is often depicted as being reborn in human form. This is a symbol that man must suffer, live in misery and pain, just as a donkey works day and night and must suffer the burdens put upon it. The American novelist, Pearl S. Buck captures this same symbol in "The Good Earth," where the farmer's wife works like a donkey, day and night, suffering the hardships to satisfy her husband. The donkey's place in myth is being reawakened in the new form of therapy "onotherapy". "Ono" means donkey. Onotherapy is being used to help handicapped children. At "ANIMAL GUIDES: Creatures of earth, air, & water who share their wisdom & humor with humans" one reads, "This marvelous site on the therapeutic use of donkeys and horses in treating handicapped children comes from Alice Root, Ph.D., one of my former students and a recent graduate from Pacifica Graduate Institute's Mythological Studies Department, where her dissertation was written on this anciently rooted yet very new form of therapy: onotherapy [FYI: ono- means donkey]. Dr. Root looks at the science as well as the rich mythic foundation for onotherapy. Using evocative images and photos, she includes a wealth of ancient myths, fairy tales, and contemporary literature as well as personal experiences. Here is a passage from her opening page explaining what she does: Horses and donkeys partner with humans to bring the multi-sensory gifts of alignment and adjustment to the less able, the unable and the disabled. Hippo (horse) and Ono (donkey) therapy engage the physical, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, spiritual and storied lives of people in an actual arena for healing. Myths, folklore and fairy-tale reflect the tenets of equine-assisted therapy, reinforcing and resurfacing the foundational power of a practice whose worth is already acclaimed through medical evidence.... Here is how she begins her beautifully written "Myth" section: Stories and myths are templates for healing: humans are humbled into donkeys and realize their own potential; magic horses leap with their underprivileged riders to great heights of heroism. We invoke the winged Pegasus as we ask a disabled child to balance on the horse's back with arms akimbo. We mount with Apollo in his chariot of the sun when we ride behind a donkey in a specially adapted cart for the handicapped...." "(1) http://www.mythinglinks.org/ct~animals.html A similar concept of Onotherapy may be found in the film, "Shrek" where the main character is different and hated. I am sure all children can identify with Shrek and well as many adults. We all have a little "Shrek" difference that we must journey or "Trek" though our donkey life. Research From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Donkey_1_arp_750px.jpg
http://www.starrepublic.org/encyclopedia/wikipedia/d/do/donkey.html
http://www.starrepublic.org/encyclopedia/wikipedia/u/un/united_states_democratic_party_...
http://www.pethandbook.com/pets605.html
(1) http://www.mythinglinks.org/ct~animals.html
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This intel was contributed by The MUSEUM
The MUSEUM
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May, 2012
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