Pai Cow History
Pai Cow is a small, yellow cow-like cow that lives in the mountains of central China. Her name comes from the Chinese phrase,"Pai meaning low; chi meaning high". She's reported to be the ancestor of the Mongolia Men's Uul, considered by some historians to be the first herd animal domesticated. The Pai Cow is deemed sacred in the culture of Szechwan province in China. A unique festival celebrating the olden days of the Pai tribe is celebrated in the spring once the cow is honored with offerings, dances and songs.
1 story states that Pai lived with a herd of reindeer in the north of Mongolia. One day, the reindeer began to go missing and Pai began to search for them. She finally found one in a deep crevice. Another reindeer came to see her and they ran off together. This was to be their last meeting.
Another version of the origin story claims that Pai cowherds were tending reindeer and they took care of them until one night they lost their way. They arrived at the edge of a lake where a hippo had washed up. Hearing the cries of the frightened hippo, Pai jumped into the water to save her cows but forgot her knife.
The hippo bit into the Cow's flesh and pulled it as she cowered nearby. The frightened hippo bit off its leg so it could no longer walk and another reindeer tried to help the injured hippo up but they also became frightened. Looking to save the cows, Pai paddled towards them but fell prey to the hippo's strong bite. The other reindeer ran off while the Cow stumbled backwards.
Nobody knows for sure how Pai came to be. One account says that she was the daughter of the Emperor Kangxi and the mother of the Emperor Mingyao. Homepage Some historians feel that Pai was the daughter of Khaeko who married a Kung Lung and later came to be called Kema. Still others state that Pai was the daughter of an honoured Buddha and the name is taken from the Brahma temple where Buddha attained Nirvana.
Pai had two brothers, Siau and Rhea. Siau became the first wife of Kema while Rhea was married to Tsoo who was the son of Nanda. The family lived in the Southern area of Manchuria, where there were lots of rivers and lakes. There are a number of monuments in the region which give some idea as to the lifestyle they practiced.
When I was researching my book The Gods of Amethyst, I Discovered Pai's tomb at the temple near the Xingjian Pass. The tomb dates back to around 200 BC and contained the bones of Pai's two-year old son. It is believed that the child was either adopted or died of asphyxiation. No toys or articles were found in the tomb. It is likely that this was the first Chinese Buddhist temple.
Legend has it that Pai had ten children but none survived to adulthood. She took her last child with her on a journey to the celestial abode but before she left him, she spread a white silk blossom before her son begging him to eat it. This was the source of this legend about the white silk blossom. I've discovered that Pai cow is associated with the moon goddess because the moon reflects feminine power in Chinese belief.
Pai Cow coins are very popular today. They are very pleasing to the eye given their distinctive round shape. Some have been made with an oblong shaped oblong coin at the middle and then encircling it is smaller circular motifs of animals, plants or geometric figures. These coins are usually easy to comprehend given their distinctive appearance.
They are usually encrusted with diamonds given its association with the moon goddess. A popular variety is the"Three Treasures" given to the kid on his birthday. The motifs surrounding the cow are the ears of a ram, a rainbow, a pot and a lampshade. The cow itself is adorned with little stars encircling its forehead.
Today the Pai Cow remains widely used by Chinese people especially during festive occasions such as New Year's Day and Holidays. The intriguing history of this cow might be transferred from generation to generation. They're also used by some Chinatown restaurants. They're considered somewhat of a status symbol for the educated members of Chinese society.