In landforms, it refers to the mountain at the right side, originates from the astrological four enclosures of the western sector of the sky which form the imagery of a tiger. Under the influence of the west being the sunset location, it bears the color white with the Gua imagery of Dui, it also represents the female gender as a collective notion of White Tiger.
The dictum that the White Tiger must not be higher than the Green Dragon is very common but unfortunately, it does not necessary bear the truth and the topography of China is the best testimonial of such. If the right embrace is higher than the left embrace, it is called White Tiger jumps over the wall, signaling the rebellion of the female householder.
Another dictum is that the White Tiger opens its mouth (白虎开口). Traditionally it refers to the right side of the embrace having caves with cavity revealing the rocks and hard surface, resemblance of the tiger’s tooth which is an indication of killing forces emitting there from. Modern interpretation is when a property is built with a grand front porch having at least two grand columns representing the tiger’s fang it is called White Tiger opens its mouth.
Comes the season of awakening of hibernated insects (驚蟄), another form of White Tiger opens its mouth is largely related to cultural significant of appeasing the White Tiger. Astrologically, the season of awakening of hibernated insects is more or less 15 days after the last seasons of rains. Such will continue with thunder strikes effecting spawning insects to feed on the crops. This season will be the arriving of Mao month at the Zhen sector based on the 24 mountain plate, denoting thunderous awakening. In mountainous area such thunderous roar with the white mist rolling downhill from the mountain is taken, by the ancient, as white tiger descending from their abode to hunt. Thereupon, it becomes a cultural significant. To appease the White Tiger, the villagers literally bring foods in the forms of egg and raw pork with lark to the nearest mountains and caves known to have been infested with wild animals with the hope that these creatures will be kept at bay.
Taoist interpretation, White Tiger is personified as a group of deities within the earth bound deities category common to the Earth Deity, Datuk-Kong and so forth. It is believed that these earth bound deities have the influenced over the wild animals liked the tigers to descend from their abode to hunt. Thereupon, a Taoist ceremonial aspect is modeled with hitting the Petty People (打小人) in placed. The logic is when you fed the tiger also request it to bite your petty people away. Such wishful thinking leads to hitting the Petty People in the forms of aggression released exercise by hitting the paper effigy with newly bought slippers, then disposed it off via burning later to be followed by other rituals.
No matter how one looks at the dictum of white tiger, there are many inconsistencies to the practices. Likewise, some say, White Tiger is offended by people born in the year of Hai, Mao, Wei and Si, while others also quoted, Chou, Zi and Chen to be inclusive. The transition time of awakening of hibernated insects (驚蟄) is 6:29am on March 6th, preferably go to a temple close to a mountain for such an act of devotion.
My take in lieu of hitting the petty people is simple, just do good, avoid evil and purify one’s thought.
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