The Legend of the Double Happiness Symbol

The Legend of the Double Happiness Symbol You may  have heard of the term Double Happiness but know little about what this symbol means, let alone how it came about. With this profile of the Chinese good luck character, get better acquainted with its history and discover if it can be applied to the circumstances in your life. What Is Double Happiness? Double Happiness is a large Chinese character  featured  on red paper. The characters that signify happiness are spelled  xi or hsi in Mandarin  and  pronounced shuang-xi. It is exclusively used in Mandarin  to celebrate weddings. The Story of the Symbol The symbol dates back to  the ancient Tang Dynasty. According to legend,  there was a student on the way to the capital to take the national final examination in which the top learners would be selected as ministers of the court. Unfortunately, the student fell ill halfway when he passed through a mountain village, but an  herbalist and his daughter took the  student to their house and expertly treated him. The student recovered quickly due to their good care. When  the time came for him to leave, he found it hard to say goodbye to the pretty herbalists daughter, and so did she. They had fallen in love with each other. As a result, the girl wrote down half of a  couplet for the student: Green trees against the sky in the spring rain while the sky set off the spring trees in the obscuration. The student replied,  Well, I can make it, though it is not easy. But youll have to wait until I have finished the examination.  The young girl nodded. The young man ended up winning first place in the competition. The emperor recognized his prowess and asked him to finish part of a couplet. The emperor wrote: Red flowers dot the land in the breezes chase while the land colored up in red after the kiss. The young man realized immediately that the girls half  couplet was the perfect fit to the emperors couplet, so he used her words to answer. The emperor was delighted with this turn of events and appointed the young man as a minister of the court. But before the student began his new position, the emperor allowed him to pay a visit to his hometown. He ran into the young woman who gave  him the couplet and repeated the emperors words to her. The half couplets complemented each other, and they soon wed. During the ceremony, they doubled the Chinese character happy  on a red piece of paper and placed it on the wall to express their pleasure with the two events. Wrapping Up Ever since the couples wedding, the double happiness symbol has become a Chinese social custom.  It  can be found  all over  during Chinese weddings. It is also used for wedding invitations. In both contexts, it simply means that the new couple will now be united.

Characteristics of Giant Silkworm Moths and Royal Moths

Characteristics of Giant Silkworm Moths and Royal Moths Even people with no particular love of insects find the giant moths (and caterpillars) of the family Saturniidae fascinating. The name is thought to refer to the large eyespots found on the wings of some species. The eyespots contain concentric rings, reminiscent of the planet Saturns rings. These showy moths are easy to rear in captivity if you can find enough foliage to keep their very hungry caterpillars fed. Physical Characteristics Among the Saturniids, we find the largest moth species in North America: the luna moth, the cecropia moth, the polyphemus moth, the imperial moth, the io moth, the Promethea moth, and the royal walnut moth. The cecropia moth is a giant among giants, with the longest wingspan- a remarkable 5-7 inches- of all. Some Saturniids may seem dwarf-like compared to their gigantic cousins, but even the smallest of the wild silkworm moths measures a respectable 2.5 cm in wide. Giant silkworm moths and royal moths are often brightly colored, which may mislead first-time observers to refer to them as butterflies. Like most moths, however, Saturniids hold their wings flat against their bodies when at rest, and usually have stout, hairy bodies. They also bear feathery antennae (often bi-pectinate in form, but sometimes quadri-pectinate), which are quite conspicuous in males. Saturniid caterpillars are hefty, and often covered with spines or protuberances. These tubercles give the caterpillar a threatening look, but in most cases, theyre quite harmless. Do beware of the io moth caterpillar, though. Its branched spines pack a painful dose of venom and will inflict a long-lasting sting. Classification Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ArthropodaClass: InsectaOrder: LepidopteraFamily: Saturniidae Diet Adult silkworm and royal moths dont feed at all, and most have only vestigial mouthparts. Their larvae, however, are a different story. The largest caterpillars in this group can exceed 5 inches in length in their final instar, so you can imagine how much they eat. Many feed on common trees and shrubs, including hickories, walnuts, sweetgum, and sumac; some can cause significant defoliation. Life Cycle All giant silkworm moths and royal moths undergo complete metamorphosis with four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. In the Saturniids, an adult female may lay several hundred eggs during her brief lifetime, but perhaps only 1% will survive to their own adulthood. This family overwinters in the pupal stage, often in silken cocoons joined to twigs or nestled in a protective envelope of leaves. Special Adaptations and Behaviors Female Saturniid moths invite males to mate by releasing a sex pheromone from a special gland at the end of their abdomens. The male moths are renowned for their determination and unwavering focus on the task of locating the receptive female. They have a keen sense of smell, thanks to their feathery antennae brimming with sensilla. Once a male giant silkworm moth catches a whiff of a females scent, he will not be deterred by foul weather, nor does he let physical obstacles impede his progress. A Promethea moth male holds the long-distance record for following a females pheromones. He flew an incredible 23 miles to find his mate! Home Range References vary greatly in their accounting of how many Saturniid species live worldwide, but most authors seem to accept a number in the range of 1200-1500 species. About 70 species inhabit North America. Sources Family Saturniidae - Giant Silkworm and Royal Moths, Bugguide.net. Accessed January 10, 2013.Saturniidae, Butterflies and Moths of North America. Accessed January 10, 2013.Saturniid Moths, University of Kentucky Entomology. Accessed January 10, 2013.The Wild Silk Moths of North America: A Natural History of the Saturniidae of the United States and Canada, by Paul M. Tuskes, James P. Tuttle, and Michael M. Collins.