The Tiger is very important in Chinese culture. It is used as a symbol of power, strength and awe. Tiger ranks 3rd  in the Chinese Zodiac, and it is regarded as the Ruler of all Animals.
 
People who were born in the Year of the Tigers are considered heroic and optimistic. They can live longer and be good at leading, rather than following.

As “the # 1 predator in the Animal Kingdom”, tigers are considered to be a sign of cruelty and power, but in home decorations, the King of the Animals is portrayed as adorable and cute.

In China the best-selling Tiger trinket is a cloth Tiger, Bu Lao Hu, in bright red and yellow. It has a round head, smiling mouth and big lovely eyes. The creative design, delicate craftsmanship and hot trends make cloth tigers even more popular in the Year of the Tiger.

Cloth Tigers are traditional Chinese folk toys that originated in northern China. The pattern on the forehead of Tigers constitutes Chinese character “?” (king), which is also a popular surname.

The Tiger is a symbol used to ward off evil and bring Good Luck as well as safeguard your fortune. I wear a jade Tiger on a chain around my neck. During times of war, the Tiger’s head was drawn on soldiers’ shields to deter the enemy.

Tiger paintings are often hung on the wall and facing the door so that demons do not dare enter.

Nowadays, you can see children wearing Tiger head hats and tiger-head shoes to vanquish evil. Some Chinese people may sleep on Tiger shaped pillows to make them stronger.

In the Year of the Tiger, the red “?” character is usually written on children’s heads to enhance their energy and vitality.

So this New Year go find some Tiger themed pieces and add more flavor to your home during the Spring Festival. —Paul A. Ebeling, Jnr www.livetradingnews.com with additional research by Noelle Scott

Posted by Shayne Heffernan on Feb 10th, 2010and filed underBRIC.You can follow any responses to this entry through theRSS 2.0You can leave a response by filling following comment form or trackback to this entry from your site