Walk into a store in East Asia, and you may see a cute little cat sitting there greeting you. It is not a real cat. It's made of ceramic, wood, plastic, etc. It's also known as a " welcoming cat", " lucky cat" or "money cat". Whatever its shape, size, or color, it is believed to bring good luck to the owner.
It is said that the tradition of making maneki-neko started from Japan over 1, 000 years ago and spread to nearby countries. Here is the most popular one. A rich man was sitting under a tree on a rainy day. He saw a cat in a temple greeting him. He felt it was funny and went to see the cat up close. As soon as he left the tree，it got struck by lightning(被闪电击中) .The cat saved his life. The cat then became connected with wealth.
Maneki-neko comes in different colors. The most popular maneki-neko is white with dark spots because this is thought to be the luckiest. The color white is a symbol of happiness andpurity(纯洁) while black scares away evil spirits(邪灵). For example，if you're looking for good luck in your love life, you should get a pink maneki-neko.
Many people believe that it s necessary to have one for their business and their personal lives.
| A. The cat is called maneki-neko. B. There are many traditional folk stories about the cat. C. Other colors are used to help make wishes come true. D. It's clear that maneki-neko is more than just a cat toy. E. Everyone must have a maneki-neko. F. The rich man felt lucky and gave the temple lots of money. |
