| Dragon and Tiger in Folk Art
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The tiger is a popular theme in Chinese folk art with images in: paper-cuts,
embroidery, sculpture, New Year prints and on pillows, quilts and shoes &
toys for children. The earliest image of the tiger was discovered in an ancient
tomb unearthed in central China’s Henan Province in 1987. A tiger made of
shells was found lying on the left side of a body buried there. On the right
side was the earliest image of a dragon ever found, also made of shells. These
images are believed to be some 6,000 years old. Experts say that both tiger and
dragon were totems in ancient times.
The
Han people are actually a mixture of many ancient tribes from all over China.
Tribes from the west worshipped the tiger, while those along the eastern
seashore worshipped the dragon. After many years of expansion, the tribes
gradually mixed to form the Han nationality. Because tribes worshipping the
tiger and dragon were more powerful, other totems disappeared.
With
the development of agriculture, people began to rely more on the climate and
the dragon replaced the tiger since it is said to be in charge of weather. In
Qinshihuang proclaimed himself the son of the dragon and said his power to rule
was given by Heaven. All the emperors that followed suit. The emperor’s chair
was called the dragon chair, his dress the dragon robe and dragon is everywhere
in the imperial palace. Anyone who dared to connect himself with the dragon
symbol would be sentenced to death.
The
tiger, on the other hand, has always belonged to the people who use it as a
symbol of good luck. In New Year prints, we can often see a picture called
“Tiger Descending the Mountain” or “Tiger Guards the House”. They believe it
will protect the family.
In
Shaanxi Province, the bride will receive two dough tigers when she arrives at
the gate of the bridegroom’s home. There is a custom of hanging tiger ornaments
on the bed of a newly wed couple. It is said that Confucius was so ugly when he
was born that his parents decided to leave him on a mountain. A tiger saved his
life. The theme of “tiger-feeding man” is, therefore, also popular in
paper-cuts and embroidery.
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