The Tiger
In the character of the oracle bone script for tiger, the tiger’s round head faces upwards, the tail faces downwards, and the body shows a striped pattern. The Chinese people believe that tigers have a “王” (king) character on their heads. Therefore, the tiger is regarded as the king of the animal world. Tigers are extremely strong and powerful. People hope that their children can be as tough and strong as tigers. Therefore, it is common in China to give “tiger pillows”, “tiger hats” and “tiger shoes” to one’s children.

The Dragon
The character of the oracle bone script for Chinese dragon depicts the head and horns of a dragon. The mouth is wide open and the body is long and winding. The Chinese dragon was created through imaginations of the ancient Chinese people. They believe that the dragon is a spiritual creature that sometimes lives in the water and sometimes flies through the sky. The dragon is said to control the sky, the rivers, lakes and oceans, and all other animals. According to legend, the Yellow Emperor, the mythic progenitor of the Chinese people, rode a dragon and ascended into the skies. In China, the dragon represents honor and authority and a symbol of the emperor. Ancient Chinese emperors wore a “dragon robe”, sat on a “dragon throne” and slept on a “dragon bed”, and called themselves “the son of the dragon”. Even today, the Chinese people perform dragon dances and hold dragon-boat races.