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3-footed jinchan brings fortune
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THREE-FOOT toad, or more widely called jinchan (golden toad), is a propitious mythical animal that brings fortune.
The golden toad only has three feet. On its back, it carries seven diamonds, symbolizing the Big Dipper (the Plough) and taichi yinyang on its head. It stores treasure in its big stomach and spits money and brings fortune wherever it goes.
One legend suggests the toad was once a spirit that harmed people. It was defeated by Liu Hai, an apprentice of immortal Lu Dongbin, and lost one of its feet in the fight.
The toad then followed Liu to make amends for its crimes by good deeds. It spat out money to help the poor, and is thus widely worshiped.
There is also a legend about a lonely three-foot toad living together with a laurel tree in the moon. So, the moon is often addressed as changong (蟾宫, toad palace) or yinchan (银蟾, silver toad) literature. While pan chan zhe gui (攀蟾折桂, or reaching the toad for the laurel branch) is widely used as a metaphor for getting high scores in the imperial exam.
Placing a statue of the three-footed toad in the house or shops is a common practice in fengshui to bring wealth.
Wood or cooper statues with a golden surface are among the most widely used, while there are also jade or pottery ones.
The statue is often carved as a fat toad sitting on a shoe-shaped gold ingot while carrying copper money on its back.
Some toad statues carry a piece of copper money in the mouth, while some do not. Those with money should be set heading inside the house, shop or company, to keep the “money” spat by the toad inside; while those without money should be set heading outside, to attract wealth.
But the toad should not face the door directly, lest it offend the door-gods. Some people also consult a fengshui master for the right place, based on the owner’s birth time.
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