As we herald the coming of the Tiger, there seems to be a freshness in the air…or is it the alcohol in the blood? As the festivities continue, I can’t help but think of the tiger again.
The tiger is acclaimed as the king of beasts. Very much so as it occurs very often in Chinese literature and arts, my most memorable being the story of how Wu Sung killed the tiger in “Legend of the Marsh”.
In the “Encyclopedia of Customs”, it is said, ‘the tiger is yand, king of all beasts’. In feng shui, the white tiger is one of the mystic animals and represents west or the left direction.
Who dares the tiger in his face must be half mad. He is known for his ferociousness, agility and courage. These are qualities of all good men. No wonder, they are favorites amongst soldiers, warriors and scholars alike. Well, in modern terms, we would like to imitate the tiger’s courage and power…its ferociousness maybe not.
The image of the tiger is said to command respect. Respect among man, ghost and harm-bearing gods and demons alike. It was not too long ago that their printed images were pasted on front doors to ward off devils, ghosts and evil people but I have not seen such for quite some time now. (Remember those heavy wooden swing doors with wooden hinges?)
Folk belief too calls on the roar of the tiger. To protect again diseases, there was a practice of writing the word ‘wang’ (3 horizontal strokes and 1 vertical stroke) on the forehead of little children. Doing this is believed to ward off evil and diseases.
What has the tiger got to do with pregnancy? It apparently was an old belief that a woman with child would hang a paper tiger over the front door. After one year, this is taken down and burnt. The ashes are then dissolved in water and drank. Doing so ensures a good career for the child which is another way of saying the child will be a good scholar and become a high titled official.
For those who hope to conceive, the practice is similar. The paper tiger is hung over the door for two months after which the same thing is done. The child will be clever, intelligent and enjoys great success.
Maybe this offers too much hope to expecting mothers but it goes to show how respected the tiger is. All said, its majesty and power are certainly good traits to possess, no?
