An Interpretation of The Mouse Marries Its Daughter Off, a Chinese New Year's Painting

The New Year's painting, The Mouse Marries Its Daughter Off, is not only special for its full composition and exquisite decoration, but also the rich cultural significance denoted. The theme of the painting is all out of people's complex feelings towards the mouse. With the particularity of biological and cultural attributes, rat evokes people contradictory sentiments of both hatred and respect. Therefore, New Year's painting The Mouse Marries Its Daughter Off embodies people's wish and pursuit of well-being as well as a psychological comfort for eliminating rat problem. In a word, it has a dual function for both blessing and disaster-avoiding.