Maneki Neko, the Beckoning
Cat
We have all seen the cat figures sitting in the windows or on
shelves of different stores and restaurants, but many of us may not
have questioned its origin or complete significance. The maneki
neko- (招き猫), or the beckoning cat, is the name given to all those
little cat figurines, which have one paw raised while the other
holds an item, most commonly a coin.
This editorial will be focusing on the maneki neko and the
stylistic features of it, such as the posture, color or the item it
carries. It is very hard to set an exact standard on what each
symbol, posture or color may represent when it comes to the
figure.
Different people, families and manufacturers may all have different
interpretations on the different styles of the figures. For this
reason, while mentioning some of the more commonly observed traits
and representations, it should be known that a great deal of
controversy may be found from other sources.
What it's made
of
In
general, most of these cats are created to depict a Japanese
Bobtail. They are often created out of porcelain, but can also be
found made out of a variety of material including wood, clay or
even paper maché. In terms of the color of the bobtail cat, the
most common one to see is the standard calico cat. It is
tri-colored and generally depicted as a white cat with two-colored
spots.
While different people and manufacturers interpret all the colors
differently, this particular cat is most commonly perceived to be
the luckiest of all the colors.
Meanings
Following the calico cat comes the white
cat, recognized as a symbol for purity and good things to come. A
few of the other colors include the following: black cats to ward
off evil; red cats to signify luck in relationships and marriage;
green cats to represent health and/or educational success; gold
cats to signify wealth; and pink cats, which are a more modern
color, to represent luck in relationships.
If you have seen many of these good luck charms, you may have also
had the chance to notice cats holding up either their left or right
paw, or in some cases, both. For some, this can signify different
things, and for others, it may not signify anything at all. In
general, it is thought that the left paw is used to attract
customers to the store, while the right paw is for attracting money
and good fortune. For this reason, maneki neko with their right
paws raised are used for piggy banks.
Variety of Beckoning
Cats
Others, however, may say that the two paws signify the opposite:
that the right paw attracts customers and the left paw attracts
money and good fortune. Others will argue that the two are very
closely correlated because customers bring money.
In the case of having both paws raised, the cat is often thought to
be, as one may have guessed, inviting both customers and
money.Another significant factor that may be overlooked is the
height at which the paw is raised. The higher the paw, the more
luck the cat will bring.
Finally, there is one more aspect to the paw that comments on the
cultural differences between Japanese and Western cultures. In
Japan, the beckoning action is done with the palm facing forward,
mimicking the way the cat was made to look.
Within Western cultures, the beckoning action is done with the back
of the hand facing forward, moving the hand in a motion to bring
someone closer. For this reason, a more Western style of maneki
neko has been created, depicting a cat showing the back of his
paw.
As mentioned before, the beckoning cat is most often seen holding a
coin, which is known as koban (小判). Around the time the maneki neko
came into existence, the coin that it now holds, the ryou (両), had
a large monetary value to it
(around one thousand American
dollars).
Nowadays, the cat is shown holding a larger amount. Another item
that one of these cats may be seen carrying is a hammer, known as
the Uchide no Kozuchi (打ち出の小槌), used to represent wealth. This
"miracle mallet", when shaken, is said to bring the person whatever
they wish for, in this case, money. In some cases, you may see a
maneki neko holding onto a fish, most likely a carp; a daruma (達磨),
a Japanese paper maché doll; or an ema (絵馬 prayer tablet).
The final aspects of the maneki neko to take into consideration are
the collars, bells, and bibs that can be found on many of the cats.
To better understand the existence of these items, one must look
back a bit into history. In the past, during the Edo period, these
forms of cats were quite expensive and most women would give them a
red collar. The cats would also have a bell to help the owners keep
track of their cat's location. This trend from the past has
seemingly been passed down to the maneki neko figurines, as many
cats can be found to have a red collar adorned with a bell.
The bib on a maneki neko can vary in extravagance, from the very
simple to the very elaborate. These bibs may be something purely
ornamental
(as some toy animals in Japan also have bibs), or
for some they may have more of a religious significance. This is
yet again another factor to the maneki neko whose significance can
truly vary depending on an individual person's own belief.
As you can see, there is quite a great deal more to a maneki neko
than what one might first believe. The combination of color, item,
and the orientation of the paw can all alter the meaning of a
particular maneki neko.
Perhaps now you may be interested in purchasing a little cat of
your own, maybe to boost your own luck in a particular area of
life. These cats can be found in many sizes from basic key chains
to the figures that you see in restaurants and businesses, and
maybe there is one cat out there that is right for you.