SvartiKotturinn
Since: Sep, 2013
maslego
Since: Jan, 2001
antialiasis
Since: Jul, 2009
Jan 29th 2011 at 8:12:23 PM
•••
Okay, uh... is there actually anything in Pokémon canon saying "Scyther HATE Scizor"? Because I'm pretty sure I made that up for my fanfic in 2003. (It's a... relatively well-known fic, so I don't think it's that much of a stretch that the editor who added it had read it and thought it was canon, but do correct me if I'm wrong.)
While reading the pages for this and Tiger Versus Dragon, I noticed something odd as a Korean who is familiar with the symbologies of these two animals...
On this page, it says that: "Tiger Versus Dragon started off as an allegorical representation of Yin and Yang." And the thing that immediately comes to mind for me is that symbologically, these two both represent Yang. Tiger is the animal representing 寅; it represents the 3rd 2-hour period of the day (roughly 0300~0500), the first lunar month, 60 degrees clockwise of the north (30N of E), the Wuxing of Tree, spring, and Yang. Dragon is the animal representing 辰; it represents the 5th 2-hour period of the day (roughly 0700~0900), the third lunar month, 120 degrees clockwise of the north (30S of E), the Wuxing of Earth, spring, and Yang.
The two are commonly juxtaposed because they represent irreconcilable concepts: the Tiger is seen as the "King of the Earth" (it even has a 王 shaped mark on its head!) while the Dragon is seen as the "King of the Skies". Neither can allow each other's existence, as they're the sole entity who should be allowed to rule. But I have never heard of it, at least in Korea where I was born and raised, being posed as a Yin and Yang conflict. Can anybody source a Korean, Chinese, or some other Oriental source for this rivalry being allegorical for Yin and Yang?
I do understand the Yin and Yang associations that the Tiger Versus Dragon page, and it does make some sense. The conflict itself of quick, energetic, hard power of the Tiger can be seen as a 'Yang' approach vs the wise, deliberate, soft power of the Dragon can be seen as a 'Yin' approach.
Edited by powerslug