The Kyoto National Museum is celebrating 2017 with a small-scale thematic exhibition concerning the Chinese zodiac Year of the Rooster and the good fortune it is believed to bring. Usually symbolizing the break of day chasing away darkness and evil, the rooster in at least one work, however, is rather more indicative of protracted conflict and perhaps unfortunate endings.
The creatures in "Poetry Contest of the Twelve Zodiac Animals" (15th century) fall into two camps: the auspicious zodiac ones, and the rest. The lowly tanuki (raccoon-dog) covets the respect bestowed upon the poetry-judging deer that he accompanies to an event. But he is mocked and chased away by the zodiac animals. He battles for revenge but loses and the rooster performs a victory dance.
Watching from afar, the hawk sees that the zodiac animals' guard is down as they sleep and he rallies companions for a counter attack. However, they eventually lose, and the tanuki abandons his wife and crying children to seek enlightenment as a Buddhist monk.
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