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27:1 ·
In Chinese and Japanese ideography the cross with equal arms circumscribed by a square means rice paddy or field. Positioned diagonally this entry sign also has been used on samurai coats of arms in Japan.
Both the square and the cross with equal arms are related to the earth, the ground, and the land. Logically, a combination of the two ought to strengthen this meaning. We discover, however, that such a graphic structure hardly has been used in Western ideography. It appears only as a sign for contact in some electrical contexts, and for help center for wounded in certain military systems. In the Nordic countries' flags, though, we have a similar sign, although single symmetric: a rectangular cloth with a latin cross in it. And, of course, a national flag is a symbol for a people's ownership of land.
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