The tiger-dragon yin yang is one of the many variations of the basic yin yang symbol. Know the meaning and symbolism of a tiger and a dragon representing the chi energy (natural energy) of a yin yang.
Did You Know?
The tiger and dragon are celestial enemies! The white tiger constellation is to the west, and the azure dragon constellation to the east.
Let us first understand the meaning of the yin yang symbol. The yin yang is the foundation of Feng shui―the art of maintaining balance of the chi (life force, energy flow) energy in and around us. This is a symbol in Chinese philosophy which shows that the world has opposite forces that actually compliment, are interconnected, and interdependent on each other. These two forces are those of man and woman, yin being female and yang being male.
- The general qualities of yin are: darkness, moon, feminine, shade, rest, west, north, earth, right, flat, matter, dense.
- The general qualities of yang are: light, sun, masculine, brightness, activity, east, south, heaven, left, round, energy, infra-red.
Symbolism of Yin Yang
People use Feng shui to balance the energies in their homes. This is said to bring wealth, health, prosperity, etc. Yin is the passive energy of relaxation. It is in everything that makes you calm, that relaxes you. Yang is the active energy. It is in everything that holds your spirits high, like the bright colors and vibrant music. These two active and passive energies are a package. They cannot exist separately. They are the reason of each others existence.
Symbolism of the Tiger-Dragon Yin Yang
Both a tiger and dragon are powerful animals. The tiger represents the yin (female), and dragon represents the yang (male). The basic aim of chi energy is to maintain the balance between these two opposing and powerful forces. The logic behind the selection of these two animals is that a tiger and a dragon play an important role in China’s martial arts discipline, depicting the rivalry between the two. The dragon is offensive in nature, whereas the tiger is more defensive.
The dragon is the celestial guardian of the east (azure dragon constellation in the east), whereas the white tiger is the celestial guardian of the west (white tiger constellation in the west). Dragons and tigers are traditional enemies.
The dragon has a long history in the Chinese culture representing the Chinese Emperor, and the descendants of god dragons, and those claiming to be of royal blood. The tiger, who opposes the dragon, is known to bring luck and prosperity. It is a very important symbol in the Feng Shui (ancient art of China that balances the energies of the surrounding areas), which takes care of the health and wealth of a family.
Meaning of the Tiger-Dragon Yin Yang
From the above, we know that dragons represent the Chinese emperor who ruled all over the world. But in an attempt to maintain order and balance, the earth that was held hostage by the dragon, and the tiger challenged it. The tiger restores the world balance back to the yin yang chi energies, taking away half of the dragon’s force. This exactly is the purpose of Feng shui―to maintain the balance of the energies around your house.
