An Guohou Bronze Tiger Symbol Warring States Liaoning Provincial Museum courtesy of the picture
Shenyang, January 25 (China News Network) -- "Tiger Tiger Shengwei - Nongyin Tiger Year New Year Zodiac Cultural Relics Exhibition" was launched at the Liaoning Provincial Museum on the 25th, with more than 100 pieces of tiger culture cultural relics from the Shang Dynasty to modern times on display.
Zodiac culture is a folk culture form with Chinese national characteristics, is the Chinese nation to explore nature, record history, arrange the basic elements of life, during the Spring Festival to launch a special exhibition on the theme of zodiac cultural relics, is increasingly becoming an important measure to inherit and carry forward the excellent traditional Chinese culture. Since the beginning of the Year of Yi Weiyang, the Liaoning Provincial Museum has launched an exhibition of zodiac cultural relics every year on the eve of the Spring Festival, and it has been eight years now.
Picture courtesy of Crouching Tiger Porcelain Pillow Liaoning Liaoning Provincial Museum
2022 coincides with the Year of the Tiger, and the Liaoning Provincial Museum selects more than 100 cultural relics related to tigers, which can be divided into paintings, bronzes, jades, ceramics, gold and silverware, embroidery, currency, etc. according to the category. According to Zhou Ying, the curator of this exhibition, about the tiger, people have woven many moving stories and legends in the inheritance of the past generations, forming a variety of zodiac customs and very distinctive tiger culture, leaving a wealth of cultural relics.
On the same day, the reporter saw the bronze tiger charm of An Guohou at the scene, the bronze plaque decoration of the tiger pattern, the three-colored flower fuhu pillow, the Shoushan stone carving of the fuhu luohan statue and other cultural relics. Among them, the Bronze Tiger Charm of An Guohou attracted people to stop and watch. According to reports, "Fu" is an ancient relic, is the ancient Chinese monarch or emperor granted the right to subordinates to mobilize the army based on the relic, mostly cast in bronze, because of its shape in the shape of a tiger, so called "tiger symbol", also known as "soldier symbol". The back of the tiger symbol is engraved with an inscription, divided into two halves, the right half is stored in the imperial court, and the left half is issued to the commander or local governor, and it is a special symbol, one for each place.
Zhou Ying said that as the king of the hundred beasts, the image of the tiger as brave and mighty is awe-inspiring, and it has gradually been transformed into a divine beast, and has been given a rich and profound symbolic meaning, becoming one of the twelve zodiac signs through the unique selectivity of traditional Chinese culture. The tiger's kingly style and bravery are incorporated into the mysterious ancient totems as symbols of majesty and power, and penetrate into military, political, religious, social life and other fields.
At the same time, the tiger, with its majesty and divinity, is worshipped as a protective god and endowed with human virtues and wisdom. Especially as a deity that protects children in daily life, it often appears in a very affinity form, making the image of the tiger more intimate. The Liao Dynasty Crouching Tiger porcelain pillow on display is quite an image, it is reported that the tiger shaped pillow was first burned in the Tang Dynasty, popular in the Northern Song Dynasty and the Jin Dynasty. Because the image of the tiger is mighty and brave, the pillow is made into a tiger shape or the tiger pattern is engraved on the pillow, which contains the meaning of warding off evil spirits and auspicious rui.
Zhou Ying said that the tiger is a symbol of majesty and power, but also a symbol of strength, vitality and good luck, and hopes that through this exhibition, the tiger culture that carries and hides historical and cultural information and embodies the spiritual outlook and national character of the Chinese nation can be displayed to people. (End)