Chinese zodiac: the Year of the Rat

Netsuke, Japan, about 1750-1800. Museum no. A.958-1910

The Chinese use the lunar calendar for festive occasions including the New Year which falls somewhere between late January and early February. The cycle of twelve animal signs derives from Chinese folklore as a method for naming the years. The animals follow one another in an established order and are repeated every twelve years - rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig. Each animal has particular characteristics and people born in a certain year are believed to take on these characteristics.

Rat characteristics

People born in the Year of the Rat are ambitious and work hard to achieve their goals. Rat people are also charming, talkative and easily make friends. Although they are gossipy they are also very private about their own personal life and are devoted and faithful to close friends. They are adaptive, flexible, clever and good at problem solving which enables them to cope with most difficulties. They are generally successful at whatever they do, but they can be gullible which can lead them into danger. With regards to money Rat people are considered the meanest animal in the Chinese zodiac.

Rat Years: 1900, 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020

The following objects show examples of rats from different parts of the V&A's collections. Therat has different meanings to different cultures and religions throughout the world.

• 

  'Ganesha, the god of wisdom and remover of obstacles'

  'Ganesha, the god of wisdom and remover of obstacles'
  Painting
  India
  About 1825
  Museum no. IM.444-1923

  Ganesha is the popular Hindu god of wisdom and the remover of obstacles. He is portrayed as a four-armed fat man with the head of an elephant and is often shown riding his vehicle, a rat. This rat is most commonly called 'Mooshika'. Some believe that it was once a powerful but slow-moving demon, whom Ganesha defeated in a battle. The demon then offered to become Ganesha's faithful servant, so Ganesha turned him into an agile rat. Hindus generally believe rats represent prudence and foresight.

• 

  Netsuke, Japan

  Netsuke,
  Japan,
  About 1750-1800
  Museum no. A.958-1910

  The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job. They needed to be compact with no sharp protruding edges, yet also strong and hard-wearing. Above all, they had to have the means for attaching a cord. Netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated being the katabori (shape carving), a three-dimensional carving, such as this one in the form of a rat. A netsuke portraying an animal from the East Asian zodiac was particularly associated with the New Year festivities of the appropriate year, but could also be used at any time during that particular year, and again 12 years later in accordance with the cycle.

• 

  Netsuke, Masanari Seikei

  Netsuke
  Masanari Seikei
  Japan
  19th century
  Museum no. 529-1904

  The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job. They needed to be compact with no sharp protruding edges, yet also strong and hard-wearing. Above all, they had to have the means for attaching a cord. Netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated being the katabori (shape carving), a three-dimensional carving, such as this one in the form of a rat-catcher. People, whether real, imaginary or historical, provided a rich source of inspiration for netsuke carvers. Of particular appeal during the 19th century were depictions of city life, trades and occupations. This example shows a rat-catcher at work, with a rat crawling across his back. He is extremely realistically carved, his muscles tense and a look of anger on his face as the rat escapes.

• 

  'Netsuke', Japan

  'Netsuke'
  Japan
  19th century
  Museum no. 88-1907

  The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job. They needed to be compact with no sharp protruding edges, yet also strong and hard-wearing. Above all, they had to have the means for attaching a cord. Netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated being the katabori (shape carving), a three-dimensional carving, such as this one in the form of a group of a mother rat with two baby rats. A netsuke portraying an animal from the East Asian zodiac was particularly associated with the New Year festivities of the appropriate year, but could also be used at any time during that particular year, and again 12 years later in accordance with the cycle.

   

• 

  Edward Lear, 'The letter R'

  Edward Lear
  'The letter R', one of 26 drawings from 'A Children's Nonsense Alphabet'
  England
  About 1880
  Museum no. E.870-1951

  'This is one of 26 drawings from A Children's Nonsense Alphabet; showing four different styles upper and lower case and copperplate, with the drawing of a rat. There is a poem below the drawing which says: 'R was a Rat. His tail was long. But he stole some bread. Which was certainly wrong.'

• 

  Netsuke - small rat on a capsicum. Museum no. 811-1907

  Netsuke depicting a small rat on a capsicum
  Japan
  1750 - 1850
  Carved ivory
  Museum no. 811-1907

  The netsuke is a toggle. Japanese men used netsuke to suspend various pouches and containers from their sashes by a silk cord. Netsuke had to be small and not too heavy, yet bulky enough to do the job. They needed to be compact with no sharp protruding edges, yet also strong and hard-wearing. Above all, they had to have the means for attaching a cord. Netsuke were made in a variety of forms, the most widely appreciated being the katabori (shape carving), a three-dimensional carving, such as this one in the form of small rat sitting on a capsicum. A netsuke portraying an animal from the East Asian zodiac was particularly associated with the New Year festivities of the appropriate year, but could also be used at any time during that particular year, and again 12 years later in accordance with the cycle.