According to traditional Chinese culture, animals have a symbolic meaning in addition to their physical characteristics. Twelve kinds of animals, which have close relationships with human life, became the twelve symbolic animals representing the Earthly Branches specially selected by the Chinese traditional culture. These animals became divine beasts entrusted with spiritual sustenance and were closely linked with every Chinese person’s life.

Among them, the tiger, as the king of beasts, was dominant because of its ferocity and might. The tiger is regarded as the symbol of majesty and power. Sometimes it is even used as a totem and appears in military affairs, politics, religion and social life.

The tiger is also esteemed as a guardian because of its power and divinity. The tiger, together with other lucky animals such as the Chinese Loong (formerly translated as dragon) and Kylin (formerly translated as unicorn), is the protector of Chinese people. While almost all the lucky animals in Chinese culture are fictional, the tiger is the rare one that exists in real world. That’s why the figure of the tiger appears so frequently on objects related to Chinese daily life.

Tiger-head shoes of Miao ethnic minority Nineteen-eighties

Although ferocious, images of tigers become kind and friendly when used as guardians of children in daily life. Traditionally, children wear hats and shoes made in the shape of a tiger’s head during the New Year festival, in the belief that the tigers will protect them from evil. They are both useful and decorative, representing love and hope. Usually they are made of cloth, with complicated sewing methods such as embroidery, color painting and collage.

Man’s coat with tiger pattern of Yi ethnic minority Mid-20th century

Loving and worshipping the tiger is a common tradition observed and shared by many ethnic groups in China, including minorities such as Tujia, Yi and Bai. Members of the Yi ethnic group in southwest China’s Sichuan and Yunnan provinces consider themselves the offspring of tigers, and believe they will metamorphose back into tigers after death.