PigFolklore

The third day of the first lunar month is “Pig Day” (猪日), also known as the day of “the fat Pig entering the gate.” According to the Book of Divination (《占书》), the first day of the first lunar month is Rooster Day, the second Dog Day, the third Pig Day, the fourth Goat Day, the fifth Ox Day, the sixth Horse Day, and the seventh Human Day. Legend explains that when Nüwa created all living things, she first created the six domestic animals and only afterward created human beings.

Customs of Pig Day

In Han folk legend, the third day of the first lunar month is the day on which Nüwa created the Pig. On this day, people traditionally do not kill Pigs. If the weather is clear, it is taken as a sign that Pigs will grow fat and strong throughout the year, naturally bringing joy to their owners. Some households even make special treats for the Pigs. This custom has been transmitted from the Qin and Han periods to the present day.

Meaning of Pig Day

Pig Day incorporates the auspicious sign of “the fat Pig entering the gate,” symbolizing abundant harvests of the five grains. Related customs include burning paper images of door gods, offering sacrificial rice for the “birthday of grain,” and observing the Little New Year custom of not sweeping the floor. During the Tang dynasty, the Pig was known as “Black Gold” (乌金), reflecting its important place in the household economy of ancient China.

“Slaughtering the New Year Pig” (杀年猪) is one of the grandest New Year customs practiced by the Han people and many ethnic minorities in China. At ordinary times, when a Pig was slaughtered, a household could not consume all the meat at once, so much of it would generally be sold for cash. The Spring Festival was the great exception: once the twelfth lunar month began, most households slaughtered a Pig to prepare meat for dumplings and festive dishes.

When the New Year Pig Is Slaughtered

Before the Spring Festival, people generally slaughter the Pig before the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month. The twenty-sixth is known as “Knife-Sealing Day” (封刀日), after which the knife must no longer be used. A Chou day is considered suitable, while slaughtering a Pig on a Zi day is taboo.

The Slaughtering Process

Once the day for slaughtering the New Year Pig has been fixed, adults ask the children to invite uncles, elder male cousins, younger male cousins, and other relatives to help with the slaughter, and then notify a small number of blood relatives such as the maternal grandfather and maternal uncles to come and share the Pig-slaughter meal. The Pig is usually slaughtered early in the morning.

In Zhejiang and surrounding areas, the slaughter is expected to be “clean with a single stroke” (一刀清)—that is, the Pig should be killed with one thrust of the knife; otherwise, it is considered inauspicious. As the knife goes in, the butcher says the phrase “出世入身”. Children and women are not permitted to watch. Afterward, auspicious paper (利市纸) stained with Pig blood is pressed beneath a corner of the room or placed inside the Pigpen. The custom of slaughtering the New Year Pig has existed for at least 2,500 years and originated in sacrificial practices performed around the turn of the year in antiquity.

Paotang Pig Feast (刨猪汤 / 杀猪饭)

After the New Year Pig has been slaughtered, the household invites relatives and friends to share “Paotang” (刨猪汤), also called the “Pig-Slaughter Meal” (杀猪饭) or “New Year Pig Meal” (年猪饭). Paotang does not refer merely to a bowl of soup; rather, it means an entire banquet prepared on the day of the slaughter using freshly butchered pork, offal, and Pig blood.

The opening dish of the Paotang banquet is the Paotang soup itself, generally prepared with fresh pork, ribs, fenchang, Pig offal, Pig blood curd, and other ingredients, simmered with seasonal vegetables such as Chinese cabbage and white radish. Every dish is made from the Pig slaughtered that very day, and this extreme freshness creates a distinctive and almost impossible-to-reproduce original flavor.

Among the Tujia and other ethnic groups, “drinking Paotang” (喝刨汤) is a traditional folk activity held during the winter and twelfth lunar month. In 2011, it was inscribed, as part of the Tujia Guo Gannian customs, on the Third National List of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Among the twelve traditional double-hours, Hai hour (亥时) corresponds to 9:00–11:00 p.m. Qing scholar Liu Xianting, in the Guangyang Zaji, quoting Li Changqing’s Ming-dynasty Songxia Guan Zhuiyan, records:

“亥者，天地混沌之时，如百果含生意于核中，猪则饮食之外无一所知，故亥属猪。”

The ancients believed that when Hai hour arrived, Heaven and Earth entered a state of primal indistinction, like fruit flesh enclosing the seed within. The Pig, they said, knew nothing beyond eating and drinking, and thus Hai was associated with the Pig. Late at night, the sound of a fat Pig rooting at the trough could be heard, much to the owner’s delight. Yet if the Pig was to grow fat and strong, the owner still had to rise and add more feed. Hai hour thus became naturally linked with the Pig, giving rise to the expression “Hai Pig” (亥猪).

The Cang-Filling Festival (填仓节) falls on the twenty-fifth day of the first lunar month. In some regions, the Pig is included as an object of sacrifice. As the “foremost of the six domestic animals” and a symbol of wealth, the Pig occupies an important place in these rites. Through sacrifice, people pray for flourishing livestock and abundant harvests in the coming year.

Hongshan Culture Jade Pig-Dragon

The Jade Pig-Dragon (玉猪龙) unearthed from sites of the Hongshan culture in Liaoning provides some of the strongest archaeological evidence for Pig worship. The carving is refined and its form complete, reflecting the belief that Pigs, like dragons, possessed mysterious power. The discovery of the Jade Pig-Dragon, one of the most iconic artifacts of Hongshan culture, demonstrates ancient worship of the Pig.

Xiwei Clan

The legendary ancient “Xiwei clan” (豨韦氏) was said to possess the power to open Heaven and Earth. According to scholarly research, Xiwei was a Pig endowed with supernatural power. Ancient people also fashioned ritual objects bearing Pig imagery from rare and precious bronze and jade, showing that from early times the Pig was a auspicious beast offered sacrifice and worshipped in the human spiritual world, symbolizing strength, wealth, and power.

Pig Deities in the Shanhai Jing

The Shanhai Jing·Haiwai Xijing describes a Pig deity:

“并封在巫咸东，其状如彘，前后皆有首，黑。”

Later notebooks and tales preserve numerous records in which Pigs function as water deities, rain deities, and thunder deities.

The Tujia people of western Hunan regard the Pig deity as a totem and worship it as the “Pig Official Deity” (豕官神), believed to be a God of Wealth who brings joyful fortune.

Worship of the Pig Official Deity

The Tujia call the Pig “blood wealth” (血财). Whether they hunt a wild boar or slaughter a domestic Pig for sale, the gain is described as making “blood wealth,” or “red wealth.” The shrine of the Pig Official Deity is placed behind the main doorway on the left side of the central hall, and offerings are made at every major festival. During the rite, people recite:

“豕官大神，把门将军；诚心敬奉，保佑我们。行东利东，行西利西……”

The Tujia regard Pig raising as a pillar of the household economy and therefore call the Pig “blood wealth.”

Cultural Meaning of “Blood Wealth”

“Blood wealth” carries three layers of cultural meaning. First, it is regarded as a material carrier of wealth bestowed by the Pig Official Deity and is worshipped alongside the Grain God as one of the principal popular deities. Second, the sharing of fresh Pig blood becomes a clan ritual through which collective identity is strengthened by the sharing of blood. Third, the Pig serves as a measure of household prosperity, forming the collective understanding that “without a Pig, there is no household.”

In coastal sacrificial rites such as the Fishing Lantern Festival in the Jiaodong region, fishermen preparing a Pig-head offering deliberately sprinkle Pig blood over the head. This practice is called “hanging auspicious color” (挂彩头) and signifies “making blood wealth,” while praying for safety at sea and abundant catches.

In Esoteric Buddhist scriptures appears a deity called Marici (摩利支天), associated here with Pig imagery. Originally a deity of popular worship in ancient India, Marici was later incorporated into Esoteric Buddhism and was believed to possess powers of personal protection, invisibility, acquisition of wealth, bringing rain, and averting military calamity.

The Buddha Speaks the Sutra of the Great Marici Bodhisattva records that Marici sits upon a golden Pig, or rides in a chariot drawn by seven wild boars. She wears white robes, bears a jeweled pagoda upon her head, holds a flowering branch of the sorrowless tree in her left hand, and is surrounded by a herd of Pigs.

Livestock-raising households worship Pig deities and pen deities. The Pig deity originally served as a latrine deity; because toilets and Pigpens were often combined in rural southern China, the latrine deity commonly also became a pen deity.

The Pigpen deity is Jiang Taigong. According to the legend of the enfeoffment of the gods, Jiang Taigong gave the office of Eastern Sacred Mountain deity, which he had reserved for himself, to Huang Feihu, and himself became the Pigpen deity.

In the past, the Han people practiced a folk exorcistic rite known as “beating the sow demon” (打母猪鬼). Whenever a household suffered illness, disaster, or misfortune, an elder would set up an incense altar and perform this rite, making vows to the gods and praying for evil to be expelled. The custom reflects the Pig’s special place in popular magical belief.

Because 猪 and 诸 sound alike, Chinese auspicious culture developed such meanings as “诸事顺利” and “万事如意.” New Year blessings for the Year of the Pig such as “猪事顺利” and “猪事大吉” play on 诸, wishing that every matter will proceed smoothly and come to a complete and favorable conclusion.

Because 猪 and 朱 sound alike, and 蹄 and 题 are homophonically linked, the Pig became an auspicious emblem of achieving distinction in the imperial examinations. Whenever someone set out to sit the examinations, relatives and friends would present red-braised Pig trotters, wishing the candidate “朱笔题名”—to have his name inscribed with the vermilion brush.

The custom later expanded, and people began exchanging ham at the New Year as an expression of good wishes, since ham, too, is prepared from a Pig’s leg. This custom had already become popular by the Tang dynasty.

Every Year of the Pig gives rise to especially rich and consummate expressions of abundance:

“金猪拱门” — the Golden Pig enters the gate and brings wealth. “金猪纳福” — the Golden Pig brings blessings. “金猪贺岁” — the Golden Pig celebrates the New Year. “猪事顺利” — a homophonic play on “诸事顺利.” “猪事如意” — a homophonic play on “诸事如意.” “猪年大吉”, “猪年纳福”, “猪年吉祥”. “猪入门，百福臻” — when the Pig enters the household, a hundred blessings arrive together.

Symbol of wealth: in traditional culture, the Pig is a symbol of wealth. Every part of the animal is useful, and the Pig itself resembles a great ingot of treasure. Ancient people therefore regarded the Pig as one of the most common auspicious creatures associated with increasing wealth. In folk culture, the idea that “the Pig symbolizes wealth” became widely accepted. In Chinese-language culture, the Pig is called “Golden Pig” (金猪) and “Black Gold” (乌金). A folk saying goes: “猪是家中宝，粪是地里金”—the Pig is the treasure of the household, and its manure is gold in the fields. In zodiac culture, Hai signifies the storing and gathering of all things, and therefore implies the possession of wealth.

Origin of “Black Gold”: Tang scholar Zhang Zhuo wrote in the Chaoye Qianzai: “洪州有人畜猪以致富，因号猪为乌金。” The term “Black Gold” may carry two meanings. First, manure accumulated through Pig raising was, for agriculture, a kind of “black gold.” Second, the domestic Pigs raised locally were mostly black, and since Pig raising brought wealth, the Pig itself came to be viewed as “Black Gold.” Du Fu’s Two Playful Poems Written to Dispel Gloom includes the line “家家养乌鬼，顿顿食黄鱼”; “乌鬼” likewise refers to “乌金.”

The fat Pig enters the gate: popular custom regards “肥猪拱门” as an auspicious sign. The fat Pig becomes a messenger bringing blessings. The image symbolizes prosperity earned through hard work, abundant harvests, and good fortune.

Symbol of completeness: as the final figure anchoring the twelve zodiac animals, the Pig carries the meaning of completion. In the zodiac cycle, it is both an ending and a beginning. Hai, the last of the twelve earthly branches, symbolizes the close of the year and the storing of all things, while also foretelling that a new cycle is about to begin.

The character 家 contains 豕 beneath the roof radical 宀. 宀 represents a house, and 豕 means Pig. Ancient people used this graph for “home” or “family,” giving rise to the idea that “without a Pig, there is no household.” Together with the Horse, Ox, Goat, Rooster, and Dog, the Pig forms the six domestic animals, and folk tradition calls it the foremost of the six.

In popular zodiac personality culture, people born under the Pig receive characteristic evaluations. Positive traits: honest and kind, able to endure hardship, hardworking, and emotionally devoted. Negative traits: lazy, gluttonous, and fond of wealth. A folk verse says:

“亥猪性温良，一生福寿长。金猪拱门至，富贵自名扬。”

The fat Pig enters the gate: “肥猪拱门” is the most classic Pig theme in New Year prints. The image shows a fat Pig carrying a treasure basin on its back and rooting its way through the gate. A folk saying goes: “肥猪拱门来，一定能发财”—when the fat Pig enters the gate, wealth is sure to follow. For generations, this image in folk art has expressed the hopes of ordinary households that the Pig would bring blessing and prosperity.

The Golden Pig brings wealth: in Tianjin, Hebei, and other regions, people traditionally paste New Year prints of “金猪送财”, praying for abundance and fulfillment. In northern villages, such window decorations are pasted at Spring Festival to pray for a good harvest. The fat Pig entering the gate symbolizes the arrival of wealth and treasure.

Zhu Bajie New Year prints: the image of Zhu Bajie from Journey to the West appears widely in New Year prints. He has a Pig’s head and a human body, with small eyes, a long snout, and large ears. His character is foolish and simple-hearted, with a strong comic quality, and he is widely loved by ordinary people.

Pig imagery in paper-cutting is extraordinarily varied.

Paper-cut of the fat Pig entering the gate: during the New Year season, people in Tianjin, Hebei, and elsewhere commonly paste paper-cuts of “肥猪拱门.” They are cut from glossy black waxed paper, with a treasure basin carried on the Pig’s back, symbolizing the arrival of wealth, abundance, and fulfillment.

Pig paper-cuts from different regions: representative works include Lin Pingcui’s Pig from Pucheng, Fujian; Yang Caihe’s Pig from Fujian; a modern zodiac Pig paper-cut in the Sichuan Museum; and the Shandong Gaomi paper-cut Pig in the National Art Museum of China.

Peony and Twin Pigs: Li Jimei’s paper-cut 《牡丹双猪》, held by the Heilongjiang Museum, uses a symmetrical composition. The upper section shows peonies and butterflies, while two small Pigs occupy the lower section, symbolizing auspiciousness, wealth, and honor.

Little Spotted Pig: Qin Xue’e of Shaanxi created the paper-cut 《小花猪》, held by the National Art Museum of China, portraying the lively and lovable image of a little Pig.

Clay Pig: Zhao Aiqin’s toy Pig from Luochuan, Shaanxi, in the collection of the National Art Museum of China, is representative of northern Pig clay sculpture. Pig figures are found almost everywhere in both clay sculpture and dough modeling.

Pigs in decorative ritual steamed buns: elaborate decorative ritual steamed buns made for festivals frequently include Pig imagery. In some northern regions, New Year dough flowers and figurines fashioned by folk artisans often feature Pigs as well.

To this day, rural households continue to make Pig-shaped pillows, Pig-head shoes, and Pig-head caps for children as expressions of blessing.

Pig-head shoes: representative examples include black Pig children’s shoes with flat embroidery from Zhengning, Gansu; embroidered Pig-head cotton shoes; and Pig-shaped children’s shoes from Changyi, Shandong. In Fengxiang and Baoji, Shaanxi, families also make Pig-head shoes for children.

Pig-head caps: modern Pig-head children’s caps in the Sichuan Museum and black Pig-head shoes with appliqué embroidery from Longxian, Shaanxi, embody the family’s good wishes for children.

Pig-shaped pillows: in Fengxiang and Baoji, Shaanxi, there is also a custom of making Pig-shaped pillows for children.

Neolithic pottery Pig: the narrow-necked jar with animal-mask pattern in the Shaanxi History Museum was unearthed in 1972 from the Jiangzhai site in Lintong, Shaanxi. The pattern on the vessel resembles two Pig-face motifs, one above the other, and it is therefore also known as the “Pig-face pattern.”

Hemudu Pig-pattern pottery bowl: the Pig-pattern pottery bowl unearthed at the Hemudu site confirms the important role of the Pig in early agricultural society.

Pig artifacts through the dynasties: from Shang-dynasty gray pottery Pigs in the Henan Museum to Neolithic Pig-shaped pottery jars in the Nanjing Museum, Pig imagery runs throughout the history of ancient Chinese material culture.

The various Pig-shaped money boxes that evolved from the traditional Pig “puman” (扑满) still carry meanings of thrift, careful household management, and abundant wealth. Their round, plump Pig forms resemble jars filled with riches and symbolically express yearly abundance and good fortune in all things.

One’s zodiac year is traditionally regarded as an inauspicious year. A folk saying goes:

“本命年犯太岁，太岁当头坐，无喜必有祸。”

People born under the Pig observe several particular rules during their zodiac year. Marriage is not advisable—according to popular fate calculation, people born under the Dragon, Horse, Rooster, and Pig are considered unsuitable for marriage during their own zodiac year. Chen, Wu, You, and Hai are said to punish themselves, and Hai Pig is thus in self-punishment with Hai Pig, meaning that a person born under the Pig is both in their own zodiac year and in a self-punishing relationship with Tai Sui. Attending major joyous or funerary events is not advisable—such participation is traditionally avoided in one’s zodiac year. Wearing red, hanging red, and carrying auspicious objects—in addition to paying respects to Tai Sui, people may seek to resolve inauspicious influences by wearing or hanging red and carrying auspicious objects. Avoid deep involvement with conflicting zodiac signs—during one’s zodiac year, close contact with zodiac animals considered to clash, harm, or punish one’s own sign is generally avoided.

In traditional zodiac compatibility culture, people born under the Pig have the following relationships:

Clashing sign — Si Snake (Si–Hai clash). People born under the Snake are said to clash with Tai Sui, while people born under the Pig are said to offend Tai Sui. Harming sign — Shen Monkey (Shen–Hai harm). People born under the Monkey are said to harm Tai Sui. Punishing signs — Chen Dragon, Wu Horse, You Rooster, Hai Pig (Chen–Wu–You–Hai self-punishment).

For people born under the Pig, the most suitable match is traditionally considered to be someone born under the Tiger, as expressed in the folk saying: “虎配猪.”

Five-clawed Pigs must not be killed: folk tradition holds that a Pig whose hoof has five claws is inauspicious and calls it a “five-clawed Pig” (五爪猪). Such a Pig is considered unsuitable to raise, but once raised it must not be killed; instead, it should be released alive. In antiquity, five-clawed Pigs were associated with disaster and misfortune, and people therefore avoided contact with them.

Do not slaughter a Pig on a Zi day: a Chou day is preferred for slaughtering the New Year Pig, while slaughter on a Zi day is taboo.

Do not slaughter Pigs after the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month: before Spring Festival, slaughtering usually takes place before the twenty-fifth day, while the twenty-sixth is “Knife-Sealing Day,” after which no knife should be used.

Rules during slaughter: in Zhejiang, the Pig should be killed with one clean thrust; otherwise, it is considered inauspicious. As the knife goes in, the butcher says “出世入身.” Children and women must not watch. Afterward, auspicious paper stained with Pig blood is pressed into a corner of the room or placed inside the Pigpen.

One should not worship Manjushri: in popular belief, people born under the Pig are sometimes said to “不可拜文殊.” Red, green, and blue are taboo—in popular zodiac fate culture, these colors are considered unfavorable for those born under the Pig.

Derogatory expressions, which are more numerous: 猪朋狗友 — disreputable companions. 猪狗不如 — morally worse than Pigs and Dogs. 猪头猪脑 — stupid or dull-witted. 人怕出名猪怕壮 — fame or strength may invite misfortune. 泥猪瓦狗 — useless things.

Neutral expressions: 牧豕听经 — a metaphor for diligent study. 曾子杀彘 — emphasizing education in honesty and trustworthiness.

Many popular sayings concern the Pig:

“人怕出名猪怕壮” — fame or great strength may attract trouble. “猪八戒照镜子——里外不是人” — like Zhu Bajie looking in the mirror, displeasing both sides. “猪鼻子插葱——装象” — sticking scallions into a Pig’s nose to pretend to be an elephant, a metaphor for putting on airs. “猪是家中宝，粪是地里金” — the Pig is treasure in the household, manure is gold in the fields, expressing its central place in the agricultural economy. “猪入门，百福臻” — when the Pig enters the gate, a hundred blessings arrive.

The Pig had many alternative names and elegant appellations in antiquity, each carrying rich cultural information:

乌金 — “Black Gold,” named for the wealth generated by raising Pigs. 金猪 — “Golden Pig,” symbol of wealth. 刚鬣 — an elegant literary name for the Pig. 长喙将军 — “General Long Snout,” named for its long muzzle. 天蓬元帅 — Marshal Tianpeng, the former identity of Zhu Bajie in Journey to the West. 豕、狶、豚、彘 — different classical terms for the Pig.

In popular zodiac personality culture, people born under the Pig receive characteristic evaluations. Positive traits: honest and kind, hardworking and able to endure hardship, emotionally devoted, broad-minded and tolerant. Negative traits: lazy, gluttonous, fond of wealth, and lacking patience. A folk verse says:

“亥猪性温良，一生福寿长。金猪拱门至，富贵自名扬。”

“小孩小孩你别哭”: “小孩小孩你别哭，进了腊月就杀猪”—this rural nursery rhyme carries the childhood memories of many people. Once the twelfth lunar month begins, households throughout the village start preparing to slaughter the New Year Pig.

Nursery rhyme about Piglets nursing: a folk rhyme says:

“老母猪，十八奶，丢一丢，甩一甩，馋得小猪爬上来。老母猪，十八奶，一人一个抢着逮(方言:吃)，肚下压了一个奶，咬着奶头拖出来。”

Children especially enjoy watching Piglets nurse and sing this rhyme while looking on.

The Pig in the Song of the Twelve Zodiac Animals: one nursery rhyme describes the zodiac as follows:

“鼠牛虎，钻山洞；兔龙蛇，爬大山；马羊猴，练跨步；鸡狗猪，比跳高。”

The Pig occupies the twelfth position.

Modern Pig nursery rhyme: “我养一个小猪猪，耳朵大大鼻子尖。不吃粮食不吃菜，只吃我的零花钱。”

This is a modern reinterpretation of the Pig for children—the Pig has become the embodiment of the money box.

“Little Pig Crosses the River”: a common kindergarten physical game. Children play little Pigs, imitating their swaying, comically endearing walk while developing bodily coordination.

“Catch the Little Pig”: a children’s chasing game. One child plays the “big bad wolf,” while the others play little Pigs. The wolf chases the Pigs, and any Pig caught becomes the new wolf. The game is simple and entertaining and develops running ability.

Clay Pigs: common temple-fair toys, with simple-hearted and lovable forms and bright colors.

Cloth Pigs: small Pig dolls sewn from fabric, lovable in appearance, and among the earliest media through which children become familiar with the Pig.

Pig-shaped money boxes: descended from the traditional Pig “puman”, these function both as toys and as tools for teaching children about saving money.

Pig-head caps and Pig-head shoes: made by rural families for children, these embody the family’s blessings and good wishes.

The Shijing already contains references to Pigs. Shijing·Xiaoya·Jianjian Zhishi includes the line:

“有豕白蹢，烝涉波矣”

—a white-hoofed Pig wading through water, one of the most vivid literary descriptions of the Pig from the pre-Qin period.

The Yijing·Daxu hexagram contains the phrase “豮豕之牙”, referring to the tusks of a castrated Pig, and constitutes early documentary evidence of livestock-rearing techniques.

Mencius states in Mencius·Liang Hui Wang I:

“鸡豚狗彘之畜，无失其时，七十者可以食肉矣。”

豚 means a young Pig, while 彘 means an adult Pig. Mencius places the Pig first among these domestic animals.

Zhu Bajie in Journey to the West is the most famous Pig figure in the history of Chinese literature.

Zhu Bajie’s origins: Zhu Bajie was originally Marshal Tianpeng (天蓬元帅). After drunkenly harassing Chang’e, he was banished to the mortal world and mistakenly reincarnated in a Pig’s body, becoming a figure with a Pig’s head and a human body. He has small eyes, a long snout, and large ears.

Zhu Bajie’s personality: Zhu Bajie is simple-minded and comical. Although capable of hard work and physical effort, he can also be lazy, gluttonous, lustful, and given to petty tricks that the Golden Monkey always sees through. He is also a brave warrior wielding a rake. His highly comic character makes him one of the novel’s most engaging figures.

Cultural influence of Zhu Bajie: his image appears widely in theater, film and television, and folk handicrafts such as New Year prints, paper-cutting, wood carving, and clay sculpture, and he is deeply loved by the public. He is the most famous Pig figure in the world of Chinese folk culture.

Although poems about Pigs are fewer than those devoted to Horses or Oxen, Chinese poetry still contains notable examples.

Lu You on Pigs: the great Southern Song poet Lu You praised Pigs in verse, writing “丰岁鸡豚贱……”. His poetry mentions Pigs on many occasions and associates them with abundant harvests and prosperity.

Du Fu on Pigs: Du Fu’s Two Playful Poems Written to Dispel Gloom includes the line “家家养乌鬼，顿顿食黄鱼”, expressing the abundance of local life. “乌鬼” here refers to “乌金.”

Zhu Xi’s zodiac poem: the Southern Song Neo-Confucian master Zhu Xi wrote a poem on the twelve zodiac animals that also includes the Pig.

Shen Jiong’s zodiac poem: Shen Jiong of the Northern and Southern Dynasties likewise wrote a twelve-zodiac poem containing the Pig.

Paintings devoted to Pigs are less common than those of Oxen, Horses, Roosters, Dogs, and Tigers, yet fine examples appear throughout the dynasties.

Wang Xizhi’s “Ink Pig” analogy: the Sage of Calligraphy Wang Xizhi used the Pig as a vivid metaphor in calligraphic criticism:

“凡字，多肉少骨谓之墨猪。”

This comparison became a classic term in the history of calligraphy criticism.

Qi Baishi’s Pigs Returning across a Stream Bridge: Qi Baishi’s collected works include 《溪桥归豕图》, depicting a sow leading four Piglets—one shown only partially, suggesting more may still be outside the composition—as they step one after another onto a short bridge over a stream and head toward a farmhouse shaded by green willows on the opposite bank. With economical brushwork, Qi Baishi captures both the Pig’s simple-hearted manner and the tranquility of rural life.

Xu Beihong’s Pig paintings: less well known is the fact that Xu Beihong, famous for painting Horses, also painted Pigs. His Pig paintings likewise reveal his solid foundation in realism.

Poems inscribed on paintings: some Pig paintings carry accompanying poems. One such inscription reads:

“少小也曾锥刺股，不徒白手走江湖。乞灵无着张皇甚，沐浴熏香画墨猪。”

Poetry and painting complement each other, creating a lively interplay.

From the Neolithic period to the Ming and Qing dynasties, Pig imagery runs throughout the history of ancient Chinese material culture:

Neolithic period — narrow-necked vessels with animal-mask motifs, including Pig-face painted pottery; Hemudu Pig-pattern pottery bowls; Jade Pig-Dragons. Shang dynasty — gray pottery Pigs. Han dynasty — pottery Pigs and Pigpen models. Tang dynasty — the Pig known as “Black Gold.” Ming and Qing dynasties — blue-glazed Dog-shaped water droppers, silver-plated bronze Pigs, and other artifacts.

The character 家 is composed of 宀, “house,” and 豕, “Pig.” The roof radical represents the dwelling; 豕 means Pig. The Fangyan states:

“猪……关东谓之彘，或谓之豕……”

Ancient people used the character 家 to represent the household, giving rise to the idea “无猪不成家”—without a Pig, there is no household. The construction of the character itself is presented as one of the clearest demonstrations of the Pig’s central place in Chinese culture.