Cats had a great impact upon the symbolism of great cultures, due to their appearance, their independency, their playful behavior or fight abilities maneki neko. Cats have been seen from different points of view by different cultures. The ancient Egyptians worshiped cats as gods, as they believed that their soul will inhabit cats after death and they had a special symbolism in their culture related to cats. They gave cat a human-like form, worshiping it as Bastet, the cat goddess. In medieval Europe, cats were regarded as keeping a malefic seed, being witches' companions and devil's tool. The Church commanded that all black cats ought to be killed and therefore, the evil seed on earth be eliminated. Cat's nocturnal behavior, characterized by the reflection of light from its retina in the dark and its amazing speed also this conception. From the hundred-dollar Kutani ceramic cats, the traditional Japanese welcome-to-my-shop figurines, the contemporary solar-powered, arm-waving automatons, the tiny Gotokuji Temple bells, to the large gold money-cats coming out of China – these products are all part of the wonderful "Beckoning Cat" family, charming their way across the world.One day, soon after, Naotaka Ii, who was the lord of Hikone district (western part of Japan near Kyoto), was standing under a tree in front of the temple, seeking protection from rain, when he noticed that a cat was inviting him into the temple. As soon as he left the shelter of the tree to enter the temple, the tree was struck by lightening. Naotaka, of course, grateful to the cat (Tama), adopted the temple for his family, and bestowed his gratitude to the priest by helping the temple prosper. After his death, Tama was buried at Goutokuji's cat cemetery with much respect and honor, and the Maneki Neko tradition began.Another legend tells of a famous Geisha of the Edo period, named Usugumo, who loved cats and kept her own at her side constantly. It seems one evening her cat insistently pulled at the hem of her robe, and after some period of frustration, she called for help. An admirer rushed to her side and cut off the head of the cat, thinking it to be a goblin cat. The cat's head flew to the ceiling and bit the huge snake that was hovering over Usugumo. Usugumo mourned deeply the cat who had sacrificed its life for her, and in consolation, one of her guests presented her with an image of the hero cat made of aromatic wood. That image, of course, was the japanese lucky cat, and its raised paw was trying to alert her to danger. a professional large terra cotta maneki neko supplier. The meaning of the raised paw changed over time. Cats with two raised paws are the best (just in case). It's believed that the higher the paw, the more luck the cat will draw. The traditional color for large terra cotta maneki neko is a mix of white, black and red - the so-called "tricolor". The "tricolor" is common for the Japanese Bobtails. Along with the classical coloring they also make the following one-color figurines: White (purity), Black (reflects evil), Red (drives away evil and disease), Golden (wealth), and Pink (love).Typically, the cats wear collars and bells. This symbolism has its roots in ancient times, when domestic cats in wealthy families wore collars and bells (to locate the pet). The figures can also wear a bib - clothing for cats in ancient families. Sometimes they are depicted with a coin (koban - worth about one thousand dollars) in their paws, to attract good luck and wealth. The figurines of cats with coins are often used as piggy banks.
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