Were there white tigers in ancient China?

In the traditional culture of China, it is one of the four images of the Seven Stars in Western Taoism. According to the theory of five elements, it is a spirit beast representing the west, a white tiger, and the representative season is autumn.

The emperor's father is like a vegetarian. Volume 44 says that the White Tiger Xi fights Xing Jun: "Xing Jun, a heavenly general in Su Kui, Xing Jun, a heavenly prison in Lousu, Xing Jun, Xing Jun, a star gentleman in Bi Su Tian, a star gentleman in Li Su Tianping, and a star gentleman in Shen Su Tianshui." As for its image, there are seven clouds in the book "The Collection of Daomen's General Education": "The West should be a tiger, with the quality of Yingying, and the tone should be fixed. At the same time, Taoism also uses it in alchemy. For example, Volume 72 of Yun Qi Tanabata quoted the Dan of the Four Gods in ancient books and said: "White tiger, western gold, also get a real position." "Jing" says: if a son succeeds, his wife's synonym and five elements are born together, which is also caused by essence. It can't move, so it's called a tiger.

It is also a fierce image. "Xie Fang" volume three quotes "The Secret Pivot of Human Elements": "White tiger is also fierce in the middle of the year and often lives in the fourth year after he is four years old. Where you live, if you commit a crime, the Lord will be in mourning. " That is, as the saying goes, "Sangmen White Tiger" or "White Tiger Refusing Money". According to the "Twelve Main Stars", "When the white tiger is fierce, there will be disaster in the fleeting time. If you don't show filial piety in your heart, you won't be able to escape bloodshed. "

Twenty-eight Western Seven Hostels (Kui, Lou, Wei, Ang, Bi, tapir, Shen), whose elephant is a tiger, located in the west, belongs to gold and is white in color, and is generally called the White Tiger.

At the same time, the white tiger also symbolizes power and the army, so many places named after the white tiger in ancient times are related to the military, such as the white tiger flag in the ancient army and the white tiger statue on the military symbol. White tiger usually appears on the stone tomb door of Han dynasty, or is carved separately on both sides of the tomb lintel with Qinglong as a portrait to ward off evil spirits. "Yi Tong Customs" said: "The tiger, penis, the length of all animals, can beat the sharp, ghost-eating." In the concept of five elements in Han dynasty, the white tiger was regarded as a western god beast.