The Symbolism of Peacock in Celebrationism

There is this little story about Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution which I’ve heard.

Having written his theory of evolution, Darwin took almost two decades before publishing it. One popular theory purports that there is a particular species that confounds him because it goes against his theory of natural selection, the very premise which his famous scientific literature On the Origin of Species is built upon. That species is none other than the peacock.

Just look at the peacock. It is beautiful as it is conspicuous, what with its long, iridescent and inconvenient tail. Its beauty makes it difficult to hide from its enemies and would warn away its prey from afar. The peacock’s beauty should have rendered them impossible to survive, by the logic of natural selection.

Alas, Darwin formulated the theory of sexual selection to supplement his theory of natural selection to overcome the "peacock problem".

Even then, the theory of sexual attraction is still unsatisfactory. For starters, how do you explain the peacock's reluctance to evolve to an armour that is more efficient for it to escape from enemies and enhances its ability to capture prey? Furthermore, peacocks do not reproduce in extreme quantities, like the fish, in order to survive in numbers.

Yet, see how the peacock thrives, and without having to evolve much.

It is a subject that will continue to divide fans of Darwinism from proponents of intelligent design. I do not claim to have an answer to this conundrum; I can only say that the peacock is a beautiful gift from heaven. Its ability to survive and thrive bears witness to the fact that we do not always need to "adapt" to survive.

The peacock is a symbol of beauty and, more importantly, a symbol of dignity. It does not need to change its colours to that of its environment nor does it need to disguise itself to escape from capture.

The peacock's ability to attract—not just its sexual prowess but attraction in the general sense—is just as intriguing. Contrary to most conventional beliefs to play it down, the peacock flaunts itself. Conventional beliefs and common sense reason that when you attract too much attention to yourself, you also invite dangers. Not so for the peacocks, it seems. So, maybe common sense isn't always sensible. Maybe there are bigger truths on the universal level that are hidden from our common senses.

In that sense, the idea of a peacock actually resonates with planetary and celestial movements. Planets revolve around the Sun because the Sun has a greater ability to attract. Likewise, satellites revolve around the planets because of the greater attracting power of the planets.

The peacocks in my paintings then become living metaphors for attraction. In my paintings where peacocks are featured, their feathers are a glittering gold under bright lights. By contrast, when lights are turned off and ultraviolet lights are shone on them through the darkness, you will see celestial stars. So the peacock displays itself brightly and gloriously whether it is in light or in darkness.

Some people think of prosperity as something external and out of their control. I think of prosperity as an internal strength that pulls the good and the divine to you. It is in the power of attraction like the power of gravitational attraction in the celestial world.

Is there any evidence on Earth to support my belief?

Look at peacock!

-- Master Yun Long Zi

(Originally posted here: https://www.facebook.com/masteryunlongzi/posts/1358017307621579)