STORY KEE HUA CHEE


Who gives a hoot to owls? Many do as they consider this nocturnal, bizarre-looking bird to be so wise it has two titles: Queen of the Night and Queen of Birds.

Owls are unique as they are held in awe, fascination and even dread, as few creatures are so contradictory. Some consider the owl to be the best representation of the yin-yang as it possesses opposing qualities - it is both respected and feared. Though not a traditional feng shui creature, the owl is treated with reverence and gratitude, as the ancient Chinese knew it kept harvest-destroying rodents at bay. As they roost in high, inaccessible places or cemeteries with haunting hoots, owls were supposed to guide the newly deceased to determine whether they would be reborn or enter Nirvana.

The owl symbolises inner strength, virtue and intuitive vision in Chinese tradition. It generates yin energy due to the bird's nocturnal nature and encourages subtlety and serenity. Its powerful talons, and ability to fly silently and swiftly with superb night vision are admired by the pragmatic Chinese. Being a bird of the night, owls are sometimes seen as bad omens but generally they are accepted as wholesome creatures.

In Japan, owls are lucky due to a linguistic coincidence. 'Owl' is fukuru - fuku means 'hardship' while ru means 'not' so fukuru also means 'without hardship' and newly weds are given owl figurines to wish them a life without hardships.

In ancient Greece, Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom carried an owl in her left hand, now known as Athene Noctua, though generically it is called Bobo. As Athena's personal symbol, owls became linked to wisdom, and many coins and pendants featured owls in classical times. In Rome, Minerva the Goddess of Wisdom was also accompanied by an owl. Many European universities feature owls in their logos.

Did you know a group of these birds is not called a 'flock', 'fleet' or 'cluster' but a parliament of owls? So go ahead, wear a parliament of owls to induce wisdom, clarity of mind and good judgment. While wearing owlish jewellery is no guarantee of instant brilliance, some nuggets of wisdom should rub off on you. If the jewels are of investment grade, you will be all the wiser for collecting them. In feng shui, you are what you wear, so wise up to owl jewels.