The tiger represents the western direction and the color white; it’s also associated with the element gold, which symbolizes perseverance, firmness, stability, and brilliance. As the mighty king of the forest, all creatures are filled with awe when the tiger roars into the wind. While fully endowed with the tiger's powerful physique, the mythical beast portrayed in this piece also conveys the idea of benevolent power untarnished by fierceness or anger. Associated with the four quadrants of the vault of heaven is the Azure Dragon of the East, the Vermillion Bird of the South, the White Tiger of the West, and the Black Tortoise of the North; in the center is the Qilin (unicorn). Each region corresponds to one of the five elements: metal (west), wood (east), water (north), fire (south), and earth (center). Moving across the night sky, the stars connect all life to the five elements. When the universe and elements are aligned, harmony ensues.
