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2022 The Year of the Tiger is the Year of the Tiger in China. The Chinese use twelve zodiac animals to name each year, which reflects the endless romantic feelings of the ancients. As one of them, the Tiger has what meanings in traditional Chinese culture. Let me introduce to you one by one. .
Tiger culture has a long history
Tiger is an extremely important part of traditional Chinese culture. The tiger is the king of beasts, it is mighty, strong and brave. In people's minds, the tiger is a symbol of peace and auspiciousness that can ward off evil spirits and avoid disasters, and can also protect wealth.
In Chinese folk, the custom of worshiping tigers as gods has a long history. As early as the Zhou Dynasty, tigers were sacrificed during year-end sacrifices. There is a record of "welcoming the tiger" in the "Book of Rites". The ancients believed that the tiger was the protector of agricultural production. Tigers are sacrificed because they eat wild boars that harm crops.
Many ethnic minorities in our country worship tigers and have thus formed their own different customs. The Yi people call the tiger god "Roni", which is the most efficacious and noble god in their minds. The tiger god can ward off disasters and exorcise evil spirits for them, and can bless them with good fortune and safety. They entrust themselves, their families, and their family's happiness to the protection of the Tiger God.
Therefore, tiger-shaped ancestral spirits are often enshrined in the shrines of some Yi families, tiger-shaped ancestral spirits are hung on the gates to ward off evil spirits, and stone tiger gods shaped like tigers are installed at the intersections of villages.
About 5,000 years ago, tigers had an indissoluble bond with our country’s folk culture. The tiger totem originated from the Fuxi period and was earlier than the dragon totem. The worship of tiger exists in various ethnic religions. In Taoism, the tiger is regarded as the guardian spirit of Tianmen. The Taoist classic is called the "Dragon and Tiger Sutra", and the elixir made is called the "Dragon and Tiger Pill". In Buddhism, tigers have also been domesticated and become "Zen tigers" that serve to promote Buddhism.
The meaning of tiger in southern my country
In southern my country, because the pronunciations of "tiger" and "福" are similar, tiger has become a symbol of happiness. For example, the "Five Tigers (Blessings) Picture" in the southern New Year pictures falls into this category. In addition, women in the north also like to cut out various tiger-themed window decorations from red paper. The images are simple and cute, and are pasted on doors, windows and indoors to create an auspicious and prosperous atmosphere.
Tiger is a symbol of power
The tiger talisman is a military talisman used by ancient emperors to mobilize their troops. It is made of bronze or gold in the shape of a tiger and split into two halves. The left half was given to the general, and the right half was kept by the emperor. As long as two tiger talismans are used together at the same time, the holder of the talisman will have the right to dispatch troops and generals.
The tiger talisman first appeared in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. At that time, a copper tiger-shaped tiger talisman was used as a troop transfer voucher issued by the central government to local officials or garrison leaders, which was called a tiger talisman. There is an inscription on the back of the tiger talisman, which is divided into two halves. The right half is kept in the court, and the left half is issued to the commander-in-chief or local governor. It has always been a special talisman, one for each place. It is impossible to use one military talisman to mobilize at the same time. For armies in two places, when deploying troops and condemning generals, the two halves need to be tested together to be effective. In the Chinese History Museum, there is a "Silver Bronze Tiger Talisman of Tang Yanghou of the Western Han Dynasty" (Silver Bronze Tiger Talisman of the Han Dynasty), 7.9 cm long and 2.5 cm long. It is in the shape of a tiger with a flat head and raised tail. There are two lines of seal script engraved with the same text, saying "with Tang Yanghou as the first tiger talisman". The Shaanxi History Museum in Xi'an also houses a tiger talisman found in the western suburbs of Xi'an. According to research, it is a cultural relic of the Warring States Period from 475 BC to 221 BC. It is called the Qin Dynasty tiger talisman with the character "Du" inlaid with gold. It is 4 cm high and It looks like a tiger galloping, symbolizing military power and rapid advance. The body of the tiger talisman is engraved with 40 characters inlaid with gold, describing the objects and scope of troop deployment. The production is extremely delicate.
The tiger is a symbol of justice, bravery without moderation, and majesty
The tiger is one of the twelve zodiac signs, ranking third, and the earthly branch is Yin, so it is called the Yin tiger.
Tiger has always been worshiped by the Han people and is a symbol of justice, bravery and majesty. According to research, the image of tiger also appeared in the ancient Qiangrong people, but it was most popular in southwest my country. The animal faces on the jade congs in the Liangzhu Culture of the Neolithic Age and the animal faces on the bronzes of the Yin and Shang Dynasties are similar to the image of tigers. To this day, the Yi, Bai, Buyi, Tujia and other ethnic groups in my country still call tigers their ancestors. People in the Han Dynasty regarded the tiger as the king of beasts. The white tiger is one of the four ancient mythical beasts, and immortals often ride on the white tiger to ascend to heaven. It is the beast that controls the west.
Since the Han Dynasty, the tiger has been a favorite patron saint of the working people, rather than a symbol of the emperor. After a long period of historical evolution and development, the cultural consciousness of worshiping the tiger has become the most unique cultural concept of the Chinese nation.
The Qing Dynasty scholar Shu Wei's poem "Guizhou Miao Bamboo Branches and Red Miao" poem: "I wove the silk thread without giving it to anyone, and brought in the bronze drum to compete with the mountain gods. The two were in love and speechless. The empty room tonight is to avoid Yin." If Yin is a tiger, whoever dares to violate the custom of avoiding Yin, if a couple sleeps in the same room on the Yin day of the month, the tiger will hurt them. It is a custom of avoiding Yin that is spread among the people in some places.
Tiger head hat and tiger head shoes
In Chinese legends, tigers are full of justice. According to historical records, "The Classic of Mountains and Seas - Hai Nei Xi Jing" contains: The Kunlun region in Hai Nei is in the northwest, the capital of the emperor. There are nine gates on the front, and the gates are guarded by enlightened beasts, where hundreds of gods are located. The Enlightenment Beast has a strange image with a "big body like a tiger, but nine heads with human faces". It is the guardian of the sacred mountain Kunlun Mountain. In the "Book of Mountains and Seas? Xishan Jing" it is recorded: "Four hundred miles to the southwest, it is called the Kunlun Hill, which is actually the capital of the emperor, and the god Lu Wusi. Its god has the shape of a tiger body with nine tails, and a human face with tiger claws "It is the god who controls the nine divisions of heaven and the emperor's confinement time." It is also the master of Kunlun Mountain.
The tiger’s awe-inspiring righteousness led ancient people to believe that it could drive away the three major disasters in the family: fire, theft and evil. Therefore, some families will hang tiger paintings at home and face the door to prevent evil spirits from entering and invading. They will let children wear tiger head hats and tiger head shoes to ward off evil spirits, and sleep on tiger head pillows to make themselves stronger. People often use tiger paintings, tiger faces, tiger gate gods, etc. to pray for blessings and ward off evil spirits. Therefore, the tiger symbolizes praying for blessings and warding off evil spirits.