The Lucky Cricket: the Origins of a Symbol
The cricket has played an important role in many cultures around the world as a symbol of luck and prosperity.
Since ancient times, people have kept crickets near them to be able to listen to their song, yes, but also for other, more… surprising reasons.
Some believed they ensured a good harvest and abundance for the community.
Others saw them more as powerful vectors of luck, or even as fighting animals.
Yes, the symbol of the lucky cricket has divided, and still divides.
In this article, we will together discover the main points of view on the issue to try to understand why so many people consider this animal to be a vector of luck.
Contents :
The song of the cricket, a powerful melody
The song of the cricket, a powerful melody
Throughout history, farmers have reflected on the song of crickets, their thoughts punctuated by the constant and monotonous crackling produced by the friction of the mandibles of thousands of insects wriggling in concert.
You should know that only the male cricket sings, generally to attract females or, on the contrary, to ward off competitors. To learn more on the subject, here is a newspaper article from Le Monde which talks about the song of crickets.
In short, this music touched hearts so much that nobles and artists sometimes decided to capture a cricket to keep it in a case with them, thus creating a sort of music box.
Another interesting fact: if you count the number of crackles heard over 15 seconds and subtract 10, you will have an estimate of the outside temperature.
It is thus farmers in many regions of the world who have used the song of crickets as a “homemade thermometer”, allowing them to manage harvest and sowing times.
According to some historians, it is in this precise fact that the figure of the lucky cricket draws its roots.
The cricket and happiness
This insect is therefore associated with good harvests, it is a fact. However, this is not its only quality!
Alongside the horseshoe or the four-leaf clover: for centuries, people have seen the lucky cricket as a sign of happiness, joy and well-being.
Some will say that it was their music that was associated with the gentle way of life of the South and that, by extension, the animal too.
Others will cite more spiritual reasons. For them, the cricket was sent by God to remind people of the importance of enjoying life, of allowing themselves moments of rest.
There are even some who claim that the sound of crickets has particular frequencies that act on our brain, ridding it of all negativity and bad feelings.
All these ideas are interesting, however I have developed a more personal theory.
For my part, I see the lucky cricket as a symbol of innocence. It actually reminds me of my childhood vacations in the South, the lightness of life when we don't have to deal with all the problems of everyday life, a kind of happy simplicity.
The place of the cricket in China…
The cricket is a key element of traditional Chinese culture.
Since the very beginnings of the Middle Kingdom, these insects have been used as good luck charms, as singers and even as fighters!
The southern regions of China actually see “cricket fights” taking place, a bit like the way two roosters or two cockerels would fight each other.
This tradition, despite an undeniable element of violence, finds its origins in Chinese spirituality.
In fact, the cricket is seen in certain regions as a symbol of the eternal cycle of life and death : it buries its eggs in the ground so that, a few days later, new insects emerge which will do so in turn, etc.
In short, a real cycle.
By making crickets fight, it is thus symbolically this seemingly eternal cycle which is broken.
Aside from that, many Chinese see the lucky cricket as a symbol of longevity.
It is particularly customary to offer one when a couple decides to start a home, thus showing that we wish them to create something lasting.
Chinese customs are numerous and, although very interesting, particularly little known in the West.
To discover some fun elements of this culture, here is a collection of Chinese objects and symbols that we have unearthed for you.
…and in other cultures
It is very clearly in China that the symbol of the cricket has the most important place. However, there are many other cultures around the world where this little insect is seen as a powerful good luck charm.
Some will like to wear jewelry decorated with the cricket to protect themselves, others will place small statuettes in their homes.
In short, here are some examples of countries where the cricket plays a symbolic role:
- In Ireland, many consider crickets to be the embodiment of house spirits. Therefore, you should not criticize them openly, in which case you risk offending them.
- In ancient Greece, the cricket was an animal sacred to Apollo. Among the many attributes of this god was music. We easily understand how a link could be established…
- For the Japanese, the sound of crickets is a symbol of the end of autumn, and therefore the beginning of the season when nature falls asleep. The cricket is therefore here above all linked to a sweet melancholy.
- Highly appreciated by artists from the South of France, the lucky cricket was the subject of numerous songs, poems and novels.
- Antennae, thorax or abdomen: certain traditional medicines have been able to use parts of our cricket friends to treat.
All this shows us clearly: the cricket is a special animal that has been able to transcend all boundaries.
No matter where we are, the cricket will always be a positive symbol, bringing with it joy and happiness into homes.
The symbol of the cricket in European folklore
The cricket is therefore considered a lucky animal in many countries around the world. We talked about its place in Chinese culture (and it is undeniable that the cricket is important there), but it is not the only one who sees this insect as special!
In European folklore, crickets and grasshoppers are seen as symbols of luck that bring happiness and joy to every home they visit. Allied to the symbols of the ladybug, the beetle or the spider (for the less phobic), they release great vectors of powers present in nature.
This idea is not new: the Celts already believed that these small insects had magical powers and that they expressed certain forces in the world.
For the ancient sages, the symbol of the cricket was also synonymous with calm, gentleness and the patience necessary before one could achieve inner peace.
Another important element when talking about this little insect is its connection with our intuition. Thus, many clairvoyants and mediums have made it their symbol, thus showing the importance they attach to dreams and the psyche in general.
This kind of idea is also found through a well-known cartoon character: Jiminy Cricket.
Eh yes ! This little cricket (an animal close to the cricket) serves as a sort of conscience for his friend Pinocchio, inviting him to be honest and helping him to differentiate between good and evil.
