Mandarin Monday: How Ancient Chinese Named Their Cats

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Although the cat was domesticated after the dog and is seemingly more independent and aloof than their rival, cat worshippers the world over can't resist those shiny, blinking eyes and fluffy belly, even after they've smashed an expensive vase or deleted a day's work with errant paws on the keyboard. And of course, China is no stranger to this love affair.

According to historical records and archaeological discoveries, ancient Chinese kept cats since pre-history, albeit the somewhat wilder leopard cats. Once the Silk Road was established during the West Han Dynasty, however, more feline species came to China and began mating, resulting in more diverse local breeds.

What's more, given that rats not only pilfer and contaminate food sources but also threaten the structural integrity of traditional Chinese architecture, cats were originally trained as rat hunters and were only later revered for their ridiculous cuteness. And with that, we dive into the wonderful stories of how ancient Chinese named the local cat breeds based on color, making it easier to distinguish them.

中国狸花猫 zhōngguó lí huāmāo

Chinese Li Hua/ Dragon Li

This cat is a local pedigree with a long history in China and has gone on to win international recognition. It even pops up in well-known folklore, like the famous story of "狸猫换太子 límāo huàn tàizǐ exchange the prince with a cat." It is a smart, lively breed and an excellent rat hunter. Those with yellow and orange fur are called 橘猫 jú māo Orange Cat or 大橘 dà jú Big Orange by netizens, known for its insatiable appetite and chubby figure.

临清狮子猫 lín qīng shīzi māo 

Lin Qing Lion Cat

It is a hybrid breed that has ancestors from both the blue-eyed Persian cat and yellow-eyed local cats of Shandong Province. Back in the Ming Dynasty, Shandong Province served as a hub for merchants coming from all over the world. The communication between different cultures gave birth to this unique, elegant cat that catches everyone’s attention with its extravagant, snow-white fur. The individuals with both yellow and blue eyes are rarer to find but also a signature trait of this breed. In a document from 1934, Lin Qing Lion Cat was listed as a local specialty, and some of the names of fur colors that show up later were originally invented specifically for this breed.

简州四耳猫 jiǎn zhōu sì ěr māo 

Jian Zhou Four Ears Cat

Four Ears cats call Szechuan Province – especially the city Jian Yang (which used to be called Jian Zhou) – home. They got their name because compared to other species, their 附耳 fù'ěr ear flaps are more prominent and were even recognized as a separate set of ears in the past. Due to its unique appearance and outstanding performance at capturing rats, Four Ears cats were considered to be 神猫 shén māo the divine cat and can be found among the tributes to the emperor.

花色 huāsè Colors
Ancient Chinese tended to name things with poetic names, and the color of their feline friends’ fur was no different. Here, I've collected some of the more interesting ones.

四时好 sì shí hǎo

Good for all seasons

This is the name for monotone cats, and for each different color, there is a corresponding name. For example, the pure white ones are usually called 尺玉 chǐ yù or 宵飞练 xiāo fēi liàn which means "a foot long jade" and "flying white silk in the night," respectively. The pitch-black cats are referred to as 乌云豹 wūyún bào cloudy panther or 啸铁 xiào tiě roaring iron, while the fully yellow felines are called 金丝虎 jīn sī hǔ the golden tiger.

衔蝶 xián dié 衔蝉奴 xián chán nú 

Hold the butterfly/cicada in the mouth

These two names are used to refer to two totally opposite-looking cats. The former one is for the black cat that only has a small cluster of white fur around its mouth, while the latter one is for the white cat that has black fur in the same area.

绣虎 xiù hǔ 

Embroider Tiger

White cats with yellow or orange dots on its fur.

将军负印 jiāngjūn fù yìn 

The general who bears a seal

White cats with a patch of yellow fur on their back usually get this name, as if they were generals picked by the emperor for the domestic rat-hunting war. The ones with the yellow patch on the top of their heads have an even more specific name: 将军挂印 jiāngjūn guà yìn the general hangs the seal on its head.

墨玉垂珠 mò yù chuí zhū 

Black jade with a hanging pearl

In a rare case, you may encounter a black cat whose tip of the tail is powdered with pure white.

踏雪寻梅 tà xuě xún méi 

Stepping on the snow to look for the wintersweet

This is the black cat that wears tiny white socks when they are born.

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乌云盖雪 wūyún gài xuě 

Dark clouds above the snow

If a cat is pitch black when looking from above but pure white when you see it from its belly, then it will get this name.

金被银床 jīn bèi yín chuáng

Golden quilt, silver bed

This luxurious name is for cats that are yellow on the back but have a white belly and limp.

雪里拖枪 xuě lǐ tuō qiāng

Drag a spear in the snow

This luxurious name is for cats that are yellow on the back but have a white belly and limp.

金簪插银瓶 jīn zān chā yín píng

Golden hairpin in the silver vase

The white cat who has a yellow tail.

墨里藏针 mò lǐ cáng zhēn

Needle hides in the ink

The black cat who has a white tail.

鞭打绣球 biāndǎ xiùqiú 

Whip the silk ball

This name was invented for white cats that have “the seal” on their head or back and also have a different color tail. The whip refers to their tails while the silk ball means the seal on their backs. It can also be called 拖枪挂（负）印 tuō qiāng guà (fù) yìn drag the spear with the seal on its head or back.

滚地锦 gǔn dì jǐn/ 玳瑁 dàimào 

The silk rolling on the ground/ Hawksbill

There are some cats that have mottled fur combining all three colors, which makes them look like a piece of shiny fabric stained with dirt (side note: they do tend to roll around on the ground), or a hawksbill, a kind of turtle whose shell shares a similar color as this breed of cats. If this type of mottled fur only appears around the mouth and head, the cats can be called 吼彩霞 hǒu cǎixiá roaring rosy clouds.

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Images: Images: Zhihu, Sina, Adongwu. All colored illustrations were drawn by 花生仁花花, the cover image is from the cat illustration collection 《百猫谱》 "Hundreds of Cats Catalog" drawn by 陈增胜

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