Early Chinese Character — 羊 yang

羊( yang, sheep), a pictograph, clearly illustrates a sheep’s horns, body, tail, and legs as seen from above.  Since were important to people in numerous ways, from food, clothing, and shelter, to determining migration routes in ancient times, they was regarded as mascots.  The Chinese character yang was therefore synonymous with ‘祥’ (xiang), which meant ‘auspicious’.  Yang was sometimes substituted for xiang as people made traditional handicrafts [CrJ1]  .  No matter the character yang appears in handicrafts, fine art, or literature, it always suggests characteristics associated with sheep in Taiwan and China.  Sheep are thought to be propitious, friendly, aesthetic-minded, proper, philanthropic, polite, obedient, gentle, and openhearted.