In Japanese, the pronunciation of "monkey" is the same as "出る" (to remove, disappear, leave), which means "disaster い が 去 る" (disaster), "disease が 去 る" (disease). There are also some shrines that have revered monkeys as messengers of gods since ancient times. There is a statue of a sacred monkey enshrined in the courtyard of Hie Shrine in Akasaka, Tokyo, named "まさる". It also borrows the same pronunciation to mean "exorcism" (demōgoる) and "victory" (shengる). In Japanese, Rats have strong reproductive capabilities, so they have become a symbol of fertility worship among the people. Auspicious patterns often include a combination of rats and multi-seeded plants such as gourds, grapes, pomegranates, etc., which are used to convey the meaning of having many children and grandchildren. Based on the above various origins, the zodiac rat is regarded as a symbol of alertness and adaptability, good handling of adversity, reproduction of descendants, and prosperity of the family business. It carries the auspicious meaning of endless life and prosperity. monkey Height: 12cm, Width: 7.2cm, Length: 17cm rat Height: 9.5cm, Width: 6.5cm, Length: 7.5cm Condition: Excellent There are traces of the times. Some scuffs and scratches from prolonged use. This is inevitable. From a Japanese private collection Ships with tracking number.