The Story of the Twelve Animals of the Korean Zodiac
Cow
영상
Scenario
#1 Main Title: Cow
#2 Opening: The Cow is the second of the twelve zodiac animals and the guardian of the north-northeast direction. Its hours are from 1 o'clock to 3 o'clock in the morning; and its month corresponds to the 12th month of the lunar calendar. Season-wise, it is the time when seeds buried in the earth await spring, thus symbolizing endurance and obedience. It is also the time when cold energy recedes.
#3 Farming and cows: The cow was a crucial partner and trusted friend for many farms, and symbolized diligence and simple honesty. The cow is known to have a tame, obedient and earnest nature; even without words, the animal is said to embody the twelve virtues. The cow has long been a familiar and precious animal among the Korean people. In the olden days, the owners of farms called cows "saenggu" (生口), an expression used to describe servants and slaves as part of the family, which attests to the cow's importance in many households. In the days when farming was extremely important, the cow was very useful mainly due to its sheer strength. Old agricultural tools show how farmers used to utilize cows. Plows to dig for cultivating soil and to burrow the soil for planting seeds, and "Ongo (蘊罟)" equipment to carry fertilizers atop a packsaddle were made to utilize cows' power; we can imagine how ancestors wisely utilized cows as part of their farm life. There were other important tools and implements such as a millstone turned by a cow to grind rice, barley, millet and sorghum, and cargo wagons pulled by a cow. Before farms became modernized, cows played a central role in increasing productivity and generating profit in traditional faming societies.
#4 Seonnongje (先農祭, Agricultural Rite): The cow representing abundance was used in ceremonial rites as a symbol of abundance. During the Joseon dynasty, to wish for a good harvest, the king performed the "Seonnongje" agricultural rite on the first Pig Day after the Gyeongchip (驚蟄) season around early March. It was a national event in which a cow was offered to the gods, and the king himself demonstrated plowing to promote the importance of farming. After the event was over, the offering was boiled to make beef soup and served to the people. This dish was the "Seolleongtang" we know and love today. There is also an interesting story about this soup. On the day when King Sejong demonstrated plowing it rained heavily, and the king and his retainers were stuck with the ceremonial crew and became hungry. So they cooked and ate the cow that had been presented as an offering. After that, the soup was named "Seonnongtang," literally meaning "soup from the Seonnong ceremony." Today it is a popular dish called "Seolleongtang."
#5 Relics related to the cow: The murals of Goguryeo tombs include various images of the cow, including cows eating or pulling a cart, or represented as an agricultural deity. These images indicate that by the Three Kingdoms Period, the Korean people had established an agricultural lifestyle based around the cow. We can also find images of the cow among Bronze Age representations of the twelve zodiac animals. One example is a delicately made demigod-like figure consisting of an animal’s head and a man’s body, with the hands gathered in front. Of clay figurines, a cow remains. With a long horn, the cow, like a buffalo, has its head down and four feet spread apart, and is about to charge forward, giving a robust and reckless impression. Apart from practical usage, the cow frequently appeared in poetry, paintings and Taoist works made by the noblemen of Korea. During the Joseon dynasty, in particular, noble scholars believed in Taoist idealism and expressed their beliefs in paintings which frequently included cows as their preferred animal. Pastoral scenes might have been commonplace at the time, and the painting titled Gyeongjakdo (Farmland Painting) by Gim Hong-do beautifully depicts the scene of a farmer and his bull pulling a plow, a dog, and old men engaged in conversation under a tree. Though the cow moved slowly, it did all its work at its pace without faltering might have inspired the celebrated painter. Closely associated with the customs and daily life of Koreans, images of a cow were also used in ceremonial utensils.
#6 Recreation and cows: Though it was a hard and laborious way of life, farming provided occasions for major festivals all around the country. Bullfighting has long been a folk custom and festival where cows compete to show their endurance and strength, and an important part of agricultural life in Korea, especially around Full Moon Day in January and Chuseok in the fall. There are various bullfighting festivals around the world, and Korean bullfighting has a rich history dating back more than 1,000 years. Bullfighting-related folk customs from Yangju in Pyeongsan county, South Gyeongsang province include the "Sonorigut," literally meaning a "cow exorcism," whose purpose was to wish for a good harvest and the prosperity of families. It had various other names, such as "Sonoreumgut," "Sogut," and "Mabutaryeonggut". In one custom, a large cow-shaped shell was made with straw and five or six men would enter the shell to play a cow. The participants would play music and dance along with the cowman and the shaman. They went about town, driving along the straw cow to wish for a good harvest, and this was followed by community feasts in which food and money were shared. There was also a custom of telling fortune in farming by feeding a cow the night before Full Moon Day. The cow’s feed was mixed with the seasonal dish called "ogokbap" (five grain rice), and if the cow was observed to eat the grains first, people believed they would enjoy a good rice harvest, but if the cow ate the beans first, they believed they would see a good harvest of cotton. This custom is called "Sobapjugi," which literally means "feeding a cow." On Full Moon Day, people prepared a table of steamed rice and rice cakes, placed it in front of the cowshed, and prayed that the cow would work hard without any accidents throughout the year.
#7 Korean life and cows: From the onset of dawn, a typical cow market would abound with vitality. Cows that had shared many years of life with their owners were brought to the market. Cows were the most prized asset of many farms. Cows were graded and haggled over. And, the sold cows follow their destiny. The owner may have felt sad and bitter, but the money he made by selling his cow would be well spent on his children's education. Back in the days when poor farmers sold their most prized asset to send children to school, university was not called "an ivory tower" but "a cow bone tower" (牛骨塔). The poor farmer's hope and future depended on his cow.
#8 End: When Koreans thought of a sweet home, there was a yellow cow there too. The cow was very much part of the family; it was regarded as a faithful and honest laborer that never refused hard work. The cow lived in the homes and hearts of Koreans for many generations.
The Year of Cow is the year of composure and peace. The Year of the Cow repeats itself in the 60-year cycle in the order of "Wood Cow" (乙丑), "Fire Cow" (丁丑), "Metal Cow" (辛丑), "Water Cow" (癸丑) and so on. The cow (丑), as the God of Direction (方向神) in the 12 Branches guards the direction north-northeast. As the God of Time (時間神) the Cow guards the hour between 1 o’clock and 3 o’clock in the morning. The Cow’s month corresponds to December of the lunar calendar. The Cow’s assignation to this month is associated with its characteristics: the cow’s toes are split into two, thus symbolizing yin (陰), while its mild, patient nature is similar to seeds in the soil waiting to sprout in the spring. Because the Cow represents patience and obedience, it can also symbolize cold energy that begins to surrender by itself.
The cow was always closely associated with the agricultural life of Korea and was treated like a family member in many homes. The animal was an indispensable source of labor and a means of transportation, while its cash value played the role of an emergency fund during contingencies. The cow was deemed to be one of the most familiar animals. The Cow is earthy and faithful, and physically strong, yet mild, patient and obedient in temperament. Such characteristics were deeply ingrained in the Korean sentiment, leading to the creation of various beliefs and customs. Our ancestors used to say, "Without words, the cow has twelve virtues." Cows often play a part in Korean folk customs. Since many local folk customs developed around the agricultural way of life, cows being part of various customs did not require reasoning. As mentioned above, the cow was treated like a trusted and beloved family member in Korea. When the weather turned cold, the cow was covered with straw mats, while come spring the cowshed was cleaned every two weeks until the return of winter. Cows were never fed grass moistened by dew; and they were brushed regularly to promote blood circulation. And when a cow had to travel a long distance, its hoofs were protected with straw shoes. The cow's earthy, innocent, patient nature harmonized well with that of the Korean people who were perseverant, patient and composed, for they always cherished and loved cows. Being one of the most familiar animals in Korean daily life, the cow helped shape various character models in Korean folklore.
Do people born in the Year of the Cow actually resemble the cow? As the old saying goes, "Slow but bull's steps," of people who persevered with hard work and succeeded in the end, many were born in the Year of Cow. People born in the Year of Cow commonly share the trait of being persevering and diligent. But as they are also born obstinate, they are often described as "Hwangso-gojip" in Korean, which literally means "as stubborn as a bull," and they go at their own pace no matter what, rather than listening to others. Therefore, it may be extremely difficult to convince them. That perhaps explains the origin of the Korean proverb: "To read a scripture to a cow." Sociable though they may appear, people born in the Year of Cow are also lonesome at heart, as some are born only to work until death. But their life can also be easy and comfortable depending on their situation, as the following proverbs suggest: "Cows born in winter have a good life" and "A summer cow lying in the shadow." These sayings paradoxically express the hard working life of cows. The cow may be dull, but once it sets its mind to doing something, and if it doesn't get the job done as quickly as possible, like the proverb, "Be quick, if you want to pull out the bull's horn," says, then it might as well get sick is the common trait of people born in the Year of Cow. Once decided, they must get their job done no matter what. Their weakness may be their inability to control their emotions and they may get quite noisy when they are very angry. They get tougher against tough guys, but to the weak they can be sympathetic and kindhearted beyond one's expectations.
