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What is it?
May 11, 2006 22:58
  • LOVECHINA2
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Can anyone tell me the meaning of this card I got at a Temple in Jiujiang? If I can get the photo to post.#1.What does it say.#2 Who is the woman and #3 I was given a bad time over from a Jewish man because the marking is like the World War II German Swastika.What is it's meaning in China?

May 11, 2006 23:13
#1  
  • CONNY129
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it is an amulet as a charm against evil or injury and bless you peace
May 12, 2006 00:38
#2  
  • PINETREE
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It is just a good-luck amulet for believers of Budhism. The swastika happens to be a Budhist symbol.
i think it is slightly different from the German one - the direction ?
May 12, 2006 00:44
#3  
  • PINETREE
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The pic of the "woman" is supposed to be that of a male & is the Goddess of Mercy. She is very popular to Budhists.
No, it has nothing at all to do with German Swastika & Jews and means well.
May 12, 2006 00:50
#4  
  • CHRISTINE
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The woman is Kwan-yinz, a holy goddess who is kind and merciful to all the human beings.:)
May 12, 2006 00:54
#5  
  • LOVECHINA2
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Conny,Pinetree,
Xie xie ni, It was given to me at the Budhist Temple outside of Jiujiang.I was told it was for good luck but that was all.I knew that the one symbol had nothing to do with the German Swastika but did not know what it stood for in Chinese culture.
May 12, 2006 00:58
#6  
  • RITA
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Buddhism has the symbol, both directions. Perhaps Nazi used one of the both, so later the Buddhists abstained from using it any longer of purpose.

But I am sure that Buddhism had used both as symbol. I have a similar amulet too. Good luck!

Maybe it's easier for us to look by turning the picture upside down.

May 12, 2006 01:02
#7  
  • LOVECHINA2
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Xie xie Rita,
I never was any good with a scanner and getting the picture right..lol..Gong xi fa cal to you:))
May 12, 2006 04:55
#8  
  • YEMMIE
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Yes Pinetree,

That is my understanding as well. When I was in college, I studied Buddhism. Our teacher told us that the direction of the German swastika was opposite from the one used for Buddhism. Maybe he was not aware that the Buddhists had once used both directions, or maybe he just didn't tell us this.

Anyway, it is a shame that it is now so strongly associated with evil.
May 12, 2006 09:19
#9  
  • LOVECHINA2
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Yemmie,
Yes,it is a shame that the symbol that once meant Life and Good Luck because of Nazis it is now looked on as Hate and Death:(( The Jewish man who saw the card whe I was buying someyhing at a store got very nasty with me because of it.I tried to explain it had Nothing to do with the Nazi Germany.
Xie xie for everyones input on this:))
May 12, 2006 09:49
#10  
  • PINETREE
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Can't really blame the Jews for their reaction. It is quite natural.
Also understand the feeling of the peoples of this region for their disdain for the Japanese for their war atrocities.
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