The tiger is the "king of the hundred beasts"
It is also the beast of auspiciousness in traditional Chinese culture
The might and bravery of tigers has always been admired by people
The "tiger culture" of the mainland also has a long history
In life, art such as paper-cut tigers, embroidered tigers, and cloth tigers can be seen everywhere
Museums across Xinjiang also contain a large number of tiger-related cultural relics
The Year of the Tiger is approaching, let's take a look at the "tiger" cultural relics in the Xinjiang Museum
Tiger Stripe Circle Gold Medal Picture provided by Adili Abuliz
Name: Tiger Stripe Circle Gold Medal
Age: Warring States Period
Place of origin: Urumqi Alagou Cemetery
Cultural relics introduction: Cultural relics were excavated in 1977 in Urumqi City, Alagou Cemetery No. 30 tomb, the tomb unearthed more than 200 pieces of gold, mostly with ornaments, clothing, of which, there are 8 tiger pattern round gold medals, cultural relics diameter of 5.5 cm, weighing about 20 grams, the pattern of tiger precursors composed upright, head up in a leaping style, lifelike, very dynamic. Scholars speculate that the tomb may have been left by the Cypriots from the Warring States to the Han Dynasty, and that the young woman in the tomb may have been a Miss Qianjin of the tribal chieftain's family.
To tiger stripe gold leaf belt. Photo courtesy of Adili Abuliz
Name: Gold leaf band on tiger stripe
Cultural relics introduction: The cultural relics and the tiger striped round gold medal were unearthed in the same tomb, a total of 4 pieces, a long strip, 26 cm long, 3.3 cm wide, weighing 27.75 grams, it is an ornament embedded in leather, the two tigers in the cultural relics are opposite, the tiger is looking at each other, the shape is unique, the craftsmanship is fine, showing a high level of craftsmanship. Scholars believe that this is a manifestation of the totemic worship of the ancient inhabitants of the time. Animal patterns are the main feature of steppe culture, and the ancient Cypriots liked to wear ornaments of animal ornaments such as lions, tigers, and wolves, and scholars called this decorative style "beast style".
Tiger chasing deer wrong gold iron bubble. Photo courtesy of Adili Abuliz
Name: Tiger chasing deer wrong gold iron bubble
Era: Warring States
Place of origin: East Talerd Cemetery, Habahe County
Cultural relics introduction: This cultural relic was excavated in 2011 in the East Taled Cemetery in Habahe County, the diameter of the cultural relics is 3.8 to 4 centimeters, the height is 1.2 centimeters, the top aperture is 0.7 to 0.9 centimeters, the tiger pattern in the cultural relics is the main animal style art theme of the nomadic culture in northern China, which is more popular in the Altai region, and the technique of wrong gold on iron is also very developed in the El Khalil-Sandaohaizi Cultural Center, so this artifact reflects the nomadic culture of the Sayan-Altai region.
Inlaid with a red onyx tiger handle gold cup. Photo courtesy of Adili Abuliz
Name: Inlaid red onyx tiger handle gold cup
Age: Northern Dynasty period
Place of origin: Boma Ancient Tomb in Zhaosu County
Cultural relics introduction: The cultural relics are 16 cm high, 8.8 cm wide, weigh 725 grams, and the inside and outside of the body are molded out of the diamond lattice, and each grid is inlaid with oval red agate. The tiger-shaped handle is welded from the rim of the mouth down to the middle abdomen, the tiger's head is wide and round, the ears are erect, the limbs are strong, the waist is slender, and the tiger's tail is drooping. The golden cup with a bulging belly and extravagant mouth, combined with a fierce tiger as the handle of the cup, makes the whole artifact reach the perfect artistic realm. The artifact is speculated to be a wine vessel used by the nobility.
Tiger eats sheep bronze ornament. Photo courtesy of Adili Abuliz
Name: Tiger Eating Sheep Bronze Ornament
Era: Warring States to Han Dynasty
Excavation site: Aydin Lake Tomb in Turpan City
Introduction to cultural relics: The cultural relics casting is exquisite, the technique is exquisite, the tiger on the cultural relics is dragging and biting a sheep with a curled body while walking, and the method of carving through the carving depicts the tiger's strong body and thick limbs, and even the claws and toes are depicted delicately.
Tiger gold ring. Photo courtesy of Adili Abuliz
Name: Tiger pattern gold ring
Era: Han Dynasty
Place of origin: No. 1 Cemetery of Jiaohe Guchenggou West, Turpan City
Cultural relics introduction: This ring was excavated from the No. 1 cemetery of Jiaohegou West, the owner of the tomb may be a nobleman of the Han Dynasty car master, the ring diameter is 2.4 cm, weighing 3.26 grams, the ring ring is flat and thin, the ring surface is oval, and the hammer on it is hammered out of the relief tiger head pattern. The image of the tiger head is similar to that of the West Asian lion, and it also has the characteristics of the tiger image in oriental art, reflecting the characteristics of the combination of the rugged animal style art of the grassland and the oasis farming culture.
Monster pecking tiger pattern gold medal ornament. Photo courtesy of Adili Abuliz
Name: Monster Pecking Tiger Pattern Gold Medal Ornament
Excavation site: Tomb No. 1 of Terrace No. 1, Jiaohe Guchenggou North, Turpan City
Cultural relics introduction: Cultural relics were excavated in 1994 in the north tomb of Jiaohe Guchenggou in Turpan City, in a semi-relief shape, the upper left side is a monster with an eagle's beak, dragon body, eagle claws, and a tiger in the lower right, the strange bird is covered with scales, and the back has three curled dorsal fins, which are leaping up, the claws are grasping at the tiger's face, pecking at the tiger's neck, the tiger stands, the tiger stands, the head is hanging low, a helpless look, the fierceness of the monster and the decadence of the tiger form a sharp contrast, quite interesting.
Dragon tiger pattern copper mirror. Photo courtesy of Adili Abuliz
Name: Dragon tiger pattern copper mirror
Era: Han and Jin Dynasties
Excavation site: Minfeng County Niya site
Cultural relics introduction: It comes from a piece of lacquer in Tomb No. 3 of The No. 1 Cemetery of the Nya Site, the lacquer is a makeup box used by women at that time, the bronze mirror is encased in a brocade bag, the mirror is silver gray, the diameter is 9.2 cm, and the back of the mirror is decorated with a dragon and a tiger, playing with the pattern of a round ball around the button seat. Dragons and tigers were very popular animals among the inhabitants of the ancient Central Plains. In particular, the dragon, which concentrated the beauty of the hundred beasts, eventually became the symbol of the Chinese nation. The tiger has always been regarded as a symbol of bravery and might, casting the image of the dragon and the tiger on a bronze mirror, which has the symbolic significance of majestic exorcism, and also reflects that the dragon pattern has been introduced to the western region by the Silk Road at least in the Han Dynasty.
Tiger print ctenophore bag. Photo courtesy of Adili Abuliz
Name: Tiger striped ctenophore bag
Cultural relics introduction: This cultural relic was also excavated in the lacquer of Tomb No. 3 in Tomb No. 1 of the Nya Site, 12 cm long and 10 cm wide, with blue ground plain warp brocade and red wool fabric as the surface, green silk inlaid edge, stitched with 1.8 cm wide white silk as a tie. The bag is filled with wooden combs on one side and wooden grates on the other side. It is woven with a tiger with its head bowed and tail, a samurai motif on horseback, and a variant of the cocoon.
Wooden tiger. Photo courtesy of Adili Abuliz
Name: Wooden Tiger
Place of origin: Astana ancient tombs in Turpan City
Cultural relics introduction: This cultural relic is collected in the Turpan Museum, 15.3 cm high and 31.6 cm long, and judging from the tabby stripes drawn on the body and tail, it should be a tiger. Wooden tigers are poorly carved, with large and rounded heads and high tails, which is a big gap in image compared to real tigers. Researchers speculate that perhaps the sculptors at the time had never seen a real tiger before they could have carved such a tiger.
Introduction to cultural relics: the head is like a wild boar, the feet are like tiger claws, and there are tabby on the back, this is a wood carved monster like a tiger and a wild boar, what is the animal? According to scholars' analysis, it is an artifact that plays a role in warding off evil spirits in the tomb, which is very similar to the function of the town tomb beast. Folk regard the tiger as a lucky animal, borrowing the mighty courage of the tiger to ward off evil spirits and tranquility, so this wood carved monster should depict the image of a wooden tiger.
Artifacts are displayed everywhere
Tiger totems and tiger worship were common in ancient times
From reverence for the tiger, respect for the tiger
To carve tigers, draw tigers, cut tigers...
Tiger culture has long been integrated into our lives
And it has been given the connotation of mighty divine martial arts, indomitable perseverance, and exorcism
Form a unique traditional culture
Source: Tianshan Network