The tiger is crucial in Chinese culture. It has been used as a symbol of power, strength and awe. Tiger ranks third in the Chinese Zodiac and the beast is regarded as the ruler of all animals.
As "the top predator in the animal kingdom", tigers are considered to be a sign of cruelty and power. However, in home decorations, the king of the animals is usually portrayed as adorable and cute.
The market's best-selling trinket is a cloth tiger (Bu Lao Hu) in bright red and yellow. It has a round head, smiling mouth and big lovely eyes.
Cloth tigers are traditional Chinese folk toys that originated in northern China. It is a symbol said to ward off evil and bring good luck as well as safeguard your fortune.
The creative design, delicate craftsmanship and hot trends make cloth tigers even more popular in the Year of the Tiger.
The pattern on the forehead of tigers constitutes Chinese character "王" (king), which is also a popular surname.
During times of war, the tiger-head was drawn on soldiers' shields to deter the enemy.
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