Long live the Tiger, the king of the jungle! All tigers have a mark on their forehead which resembles the Chinese character for king (王wáng) and the Tiger lives up to this symbol – brave, regal and someone you’d like to have in your house – indeed a saying goes along the lines of having a tiger in the house protects against burglary, fire and ghosts （镇宅神虎 zhèn zhái shén hǔ) – a Household Guardian Tiger
The Chinese love lucky things so traditionally Tiger paintings were hung on the wall facing the front door to keep demons from entering the home. Even in contemporary China, children wear tiger hats and shoes to ward off evil spirits, while others sleep on tiger pillows to make them stronger (see our Tiger Story).
The tiger’s stripes are a balance of the positive forces of Yin and Yang. For thousands of years Chinese have revered the Tiger as a protective god of the mountain and a totem against evil. For encouraging news about tigers, read on.
One of the most visible tigers in 2022 is Queen Elizabeth. Click for more Tigers.
Xi Jinping told the World Economic Forum in January 2022: “To meet the severe challenges facing humanity, we must ‘give wings to the tiger’ and act with the courage and strength of the tiger to overcome all obstacles on our way forward.”
The Eye of the Tiger (hǔ shì dān dān虎视眈眈):
Tiger years can be explosive – filled with drama and change – we might need a good dose of that legendary courage. Far-reaching changes often occur in Tiger Years, including technological change (see our predictions). Google was born in a Tiger Year.
This year 2022 might be the year to act like a Tiger. It is thought that we will be subject to continuing change – especially under Covid – and we need to be alert. We should be able to regain some of our strength and vitality under the Tiger’s influence.
People born in years of the Tiger are full of vigour and valour. They are ambitious, enthusiastic, generous and confident. They have a sense of justice and a commitment to help others; they are popular.
This Chinese New Year is the year of the Water Tiger. In Chinese culture ‘water years’ bring out our emotional side. Water Tigers are more family-oriented. They are selfless and always aim to do what is best for everyone.
However Tigers can also be impetuous, irritable and overindulgent. Tigers are decisive and in the face of setbacks or failure they will make a decision right or wrong, or go back to scratch until they succeed.
Pouncing on 1 February 2022 (Chinese New Year’s Day); the Tiger will go back into the jungle on 21 January 2023 when the Rabbit emerges.
Fearless, confident but unpredictable, welcome to the wild ride of the Tiger!
Riding the Tiger (qí hǔ nán xià骑虎难下):
In 2022, extreme sports and exotic locations – the Tiger used to like to travel. Well, we have the Winter Olympics in Beijing (the first city ever to host summer and winter Olympics).
Estimated 6.5 billion Covid jabs to be administered (Economist) and 12 billion shots have already been given.
Elections: Victoria, South Australia and Australia, (and Australia’s “friends” Serbia and France), South Korea, Philippines (may see another Marcos at the helm), Sweden, Brazil, Hong Kong Chief Executive election. China’s 20th National Congress will elect a new leadership for the Party under Xi Jinping.
The Space Race will hot up as China and Russia collaborate on a future moon base and space tourism operations grow; India will launch a crewed space flight. China will complete its own space station Tiangong and will, for the time being, have the only permanent space station.
EVs (electric vehicles) continue their growth
Queen Elizabeth (a Tiger) celebrates 70 years on the throne = Platinum Jubilee.
India is anticipated to surpass China’s population and become the most populous country on earth (over 1.4 billion).
Qatar will host the World Football Cup.
Put a Tiger in the tank – economic recovery is forecast in this Tiger Year.
Save the Tiger
The beginning of the Tiger Year marks the deadline for Tx2, a commitment by 13 countries to double the global tiger population by 2022 and the most ambitious recovery effort ever undertaken for a single species. The project launched in 2010 (the last Tiger Year), when there were about 3,200 known wild tigers worldwide. Since then, India, home to 60 percent of the world’s tigers, approved 14 new tiger conservation sites, and Russia tripled the tiger population in its Land of the Leopard National Park. (NY Times).
There are now an estimated 3900 tigers in the world – in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam (WWF).
Tiger years what happened
2010
First ipad released
Julian Assange leaked footage of an airstrike in Iraq on Wikileaks and so started the biggest US govt leak in history
Scientists announced they created a synthetic genome
Instagram launched
H1N1 pandemic declared over by WHO
7.1 earthquake struck Christchurch
Aung San Suu Kyi released from house arrest after being incarcerated since 1989
1998
Kosovo war started
Riots against Chinese Indonesians
Yangtze River floods killed over 12,000
Google founded
The Euro was established as a currency
1986
Glasnost and Perestroika introduced to Soviet Union by Mikhail Gorbachev
Russell Street bombing in Melbourne at police headquarters
Chernobyl nuclear disaster killed over 4000
The Big Mac index introduced in The Economist to measure Purchasing Parity Power (PPP)
1974
Terracotta Army of Qín Shǐhuáng (秦始皇) discovered at Xi’an (Qin Shihuang China’s first Emperor, is a Tiger and Chin Communications derived its name from Emperor Qin)
World population reached 4 billion (2022 it is approaching 8 billion)
Cyclone Tracy almost destroyed Darwin
1962
American artist Andy Warhol premiered his Campbell’s Soup Cans exhibit in Los Angeles.
Nelson Mandela was arrested for incitement to rebellion
Dr. No, the first James Bond film, premiered featuring Sean Connery as the hero.
Cuban missile crisis
1950
The UK recognised the PRC, followed by Israel and Finland
The Stasi (secret police) founded in East Germany (operated until 1990)
First use of a charge card – Diners Club
Apartheid formally commenced in South Africa
Tracking Tigers
If ever there was a true Tiger who grew wings, it’s Rafael Nadal. 加油Jiayou King of the Court!
Leaders: Queen Elizabeth II (and Princess Anne), Mohammed, Fidel Castro, Ayatollah Khomeini, Narendra Modi, Kofi Annan, Dominic Raab, Deputy PM of Britain, Matteo Renzi, 56th PM of Italy, Antony Blinken, 71st US Secretary of State, Helen Clark, former PM of NZ, David Attenborough, Tenzing Norgay, Marco Polo, Karl Marx, Charles De Gaulle
Chinese interest: Jiāng Qīng江青, Jiāng Zémín江泽民. Qín Shǐhuáng秦始皇1st Emperor, Yáng Jiéchí杨洁篪, Chinese politician, Mǎ Yīng-jěou 马英九, former Taiwan president, Lǐ Wénliàng李文亮the Chinese opthamologist who died in 2020 from Covid after exposing it, Dylan Wang王鹤棣 (Wáng Hèdì), Chinese actor, Zhōu Jiéqióng, aka Pinky Kyulkyung周洁琼 Chinese singer, Gilbert Lam 林韦辰(Lín Wéichén) and Michelle Yeoh杨紫琼 (Yáng Zǐqióng) (actors), Zhāng Héng张衡, scientist and astronomer who created the Geodynamometer (used to measure earthquakes), Sun Yat-sen 孙逸仙 (Sūn Yìxiān, aka 孙中山Sūn Zhōngshān, and 孙文 Sūn Wén), father of modern China and provisional first president of the Republic of China
Australian interest: Joel Edgerton, Sidney Myer (philanthropist and founder of Myer), Karl Stefanovic, Steve Irwin and daughter Bindi, Shaun Micallef, Baz Luhrmann
Sporty Tigers: Rafael Nadal, Rod Laver, Karrie Webb, Herb Elliott, Ricky Ponting, Stefanos Tsitsipas, Aryna Sabalenka, Sofia Kenin, Gael Monfis, Stuart Broad, Usain Bolt, Courtney Walsh
Australian pollies: Andrew Peacock, Russell Broadbent, Anthony Byrne, David Coleman, Warren Entsch, Michelle Landry, Brendan O’Connor, Warren Snowdon, Zali Steggall OAM, Jim Cairns
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragons: Beethoven, Oscar Wilde, Kit Harington, John Steinbeck, Jodie Forster, Kenny Rogers, Lady Gaga, Olivia Colman, Robbie Williams, Leonardo DiCaprio, Bon Jovi, Tom Cruise, Naomi Wolf, Karen Carpenter, Robbie Coltrane, Stevie Wonder, Suzi Quatro, Phil Collins, Emily Bronte
Tiger Compatibilities
Tigers are exceptionally warm and incredibly generous. Friends are always welcome in a Tiger’s home and few friends could be as caring and affectionate or as genuinely interested as the Tiger and, what’s more, they have a great sense of humour too.
Horse Horse Tiger Tiger (马马虎虎(mǎmǎ hūhūor “so-so”) – the Tiger’s Best Friends are Horses (and Dogs); he’s good with Pigs, Rabbits and Sheep too.
Mortal Enemy: Monkeys.
Tiger Careers
They are born leaders and always come out on top; they exude power and influence. They are good in politics and justice.
They also make good actors, comedians, musicians, racing car drivers, stunt performers, pilots and flight attendants, entrepreneurs, stockbrokers, trade union leaders and company directors.
They write poetry and are good athletes; also great travellers and therefore make good travel agents.
Get a Tiger by the Tail
It is better to have lived one day as a tiger than a thousand years as a sheep宁做一日虎，不做千年羊 (níng zuò yírì hǔ, bùzuò qiānnián yáng);
The prowess of a tiger stays forever 虎威永驻 (hǔ wēi yǒng zhù) – there is no off switch on a tiger;
He who rides a tiger is afraid to dismount 骑虎难下 (qí hǔ nán xià) – in a difficult situation – it is more dangerous to stop doing something than continuing;
Tiger father does not beget a dog son虎父无犬子 (hǔ fù wú quǎnzǐ) – a chip off the old block;
The fox borrowing the tiger’s awe 狐假虎威 (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi) – basking in reflected glory;
The testimony of three men creates a tiger in the market 三人成虎 (sān rén chéng hǔ) – anything repeated often enough must be true;
The tiger and dragon person 人中龙虎 (rén zhōng lóng hǔ) – an outstanding person;
You get rid of the tiger at the front gate and face a wolf at the back gate前门拒虎，后门进狼 (qiánmén jù hǔ, hòumén jìn láng) – facing all sorts of challenges;
Trying to draw a tiger but ending up with the likeness of a dog画虎类犬 (huà hǔ lèi quǎn) – attempting something too ambitious ends in failure;
You must enter the tiger’s den to catch his cubs不入虎穴，焉得虎子 (bú rù hǔ xué, yān dé hǔzǐ) – nothing ventured nothing gained;
Trying to kill a fly on top of a tiger’s head 老虎头上打苍蝇 (lǎohǔ tóu shàng dǎ cāngying) – asking for trouble;
Demand the skin from a tiger 与虎谋皮(yǔ hǔ móu pí) – to request someone to act against his own interests – doomed to failure;
Luring the tiger out of the mountains 调虎离山 (diào hǔ lí shān)- to lure out an opponent by stratagem.
A Tiger Tale
虎头鞋 (hǔtóuxié) Tiger-head shoes
Tiger-head shoes are an example of traditional Chinese folk handicrafts used as footwear for children. Their name comes from the toe cap, which looks like the head of a tiger. In northern China, people also call them cat-head shoes. In Chinese culture, tigers are regarded as auspicious; people embroider the head and the upper shoes with tigers or tiger-head patterns in the hope that their children will become as robust and dynamic as tigers. Also, the tiger-head pattern was thought to expel evil spirits to protect children from diseases and disasters.
The origins of tiger-head shoes are unknown, but there are several folk legends about them. Tiger-head shoes are marked by the practice of exorcising evil spirits. The following is one of the legends:
Long, long ago, there was a lady who had clever hands and good sense. She was very gifted in embroidery, so her child was always well dressed. One night, a monster came to the village and captured all the children there except her son. From then on, people began to realise that the shoes the child was wearing were decorated with a tiger’s head which had scared the monster, thus leaving the child safe. Thereafter people began to imitate this practice.
Tiger-Tracking Technology in 2022
As we all “race into the ‘metaverse’”, what else to expect in the Tiger Year?
Passwords will diminish replaced by fingerprint, face, iris and voice biometrics. HOORAY
Monitors will become more portable and foldable – analysts predict 500% growth in next 5 years (Business Insider)
Keyboard transformation as alternative inputs arise – including touch-intuitive (haptic), pens, voice-to-text, predictive AI
Since the pandemic and the world going online, translation demand has surged. Some 60% of internet content is currently in English while the most generous estimates suggest that only 13% of the world’s population speaks native English (Wikipedia). Might be the year to consider some web content in another language.
Wishing you a happy and prosperous Year of the Tiger from all of us at Chin Communications