Cranes in Asian culture

Key cranes are an integral part of the Polish landscape. Their distinctive, loud clangor evokes echoes of the sounds of ancient creatures. In Slavic beliefs, ashen (gray) cranes symbolize distant journeys, including those to the afterlife. As water-land birds , cranes connect the worlds of the living and the dead, acting as sacred guides of human souls. In Far Eastern cultures, crane symbolism takes a very different shape.

White happiness

The Manchurian crane, one of the largest representatives of its species, is found primarily in northeastern China and northern areas of Japan. It is characterized by white plumage with black (gray) elements on the tail, head and neck, and a distinctive red patch on the top of the head, which can take on a bright color. This red patch is interpreted as a unique symbol of the vitality of this bird, which in Asian countries has become a symbol of good luck.

In both Japan and China, the crane symbolizes longevity, love and loyalty. A popular Japanese proverb says: Cranes live a thousand years, turtles ten thousand, but it is the white crane that can bring a long life of love and marital fidelity. In Asian culture, bridal gifts, wedding kimonos and anniversary gifts are often encrusted with white cranes. Their auspicious significance is also underscored by the saying, which has the status of a toast in Asian countries: May your life be long and happy as with the crane. The undeniable beauty and incredible dignity of this bird are said to add stability and permanence to love relationships.

Philosophical Birds

In Asian culture, the crane is also a symbol of vigilance. Its ability to remain calm and composed in the face of an encounter with a predator has made it an ideal of courage for warriors, including samurai. It is a courage described as honorable, almost luminous, which is related to Taoist beliefs, according to which white cranes are an emanation of yang energy. This energy brings joy, warmth and activity. It is represented by the sun, whiteness and the masculine aspect of nature, which is present in everything that lives.

In the Shaolin Buddhist monastery in China, around the 6th century, a style of kung fu was created inspired by the White Crane. Legend has it that the style was created by a monk who observed a crane fight with a snake. The movements of this fighting style mirror the gestures, especially the way the bird shakes water off its wings. The White Crane style is still practiced and taught today.

Every Far Eastern martial art has its roots in philosophy. In Taoism one can also find the concept of wu wei, which implies the value of accepting reality as it is. This often means passivity, for by not interfering with life, we can flow with its current. This is the Eastern art of letting go: holding on neither to one’s desires nor to one’s prejudices. This approach can bring acceptance of reality and become a source of freedom. This process has been expressed by Taoists with a metaphor: imagine a smooth surface of a lake on a warm summer day, and above this surface a crane flying freely. Its silhouette is reflected in the water, but neither the crane nor the lake tries to cause this reflection – it just takes place.

The crane is not an accidental symbol in a metaphor for the workings of the human mind. According to the wu wei principle, a mind free from excess and unnecessary action enjoys happiness. The crane symbolizes this happy freedom.

Origami cranes

The Far Eastern art of paper folding(origami literally means folded paper) has so far failed to gain a deeper meaning in our cultural circle. The process of creating one small crane from origami takes approx. 5-6 min. Especially in Japan, the tradition is alive, according to which preparing 1,000 origami cranes by oneself will bring 1000 years of happy life.

Related to this tradition is the story of a girl, Sadako Sasaki, from Hiroshima, who survived the dropping of the atomic bomb on her hometown at the age of 2. At age 11, she developed leukemia as a result of radiation exposure. In accordance with cultural beliefs, the girl started folding cranes out of paper, hoping to make a thousand of them in time. Unfortunately, she only managed to prepare 644 cranes. Relatives finished the job for her, and Sadako is commemorated today by a memorial in Hiroshima decorated with garlands of paper cranes. In turn, the obelisk bears the inscription: this is our cry, this is our prayer for world peace. The origami cranes have thus become part of a pacifist call for a better, happier future.

Perhaps it is worth giving this story a moment’s reflection. Let’s stop, look at the landscape outside the window, do nothing for a moment, just be, listening to the sound of the cranes, which will hopefully bring good luck.

In the article, I used, among others. z:

1. Alberova Z., On Japanese art, transl. A. Kozłowska-Ryś, L. Ryś, Warsaw 1987.
2. Cooper, J.C.. Symbolic and Mythical Animals, Poznań 1998.
3. Stepuch M., Crane motif in culture, https://lubelskie-zurawie.pl/motyw-zurawia-w-kulturze/
4. Fischer T., Wu Wei. Swim with the current of life , transl. K. Petrikowska, Bialystok 2012.
5. Ebird: Crane(Grus grus), https://ebird.org/species/comcra/