What is the significance and symbol of White Tiger Teng in Tujia culture?

Tujia's white tiger totem is Tujia's national belief. They prayed for good weather and prosperous families through the white tiger totem. White tiger totem carries the inheritance of Tujia culture, is the psychological support of Tujia people, and is also the carrier of Tujia development for thousands of years.

According to the Records of Tujia Family, Bing Jun is the pioneer of Tujia inheritance and the person who laid the foundation of Tujia, so he is highly respected among Tujia people. In addition, when he died, it is said that a white tiger ascended to heaven and was called the first god by the local people, so the white tiger will be used as the background to show his worship.

Besides, there are many wild animals in the mountains, and the tiger is the king of the forest. At that time, people thought that hanging portraits of white tigers at home would deter other wild animals from invading. With the passage of time and the gradual growth of the family, people forgot their original simple wishes and directly regarded the white tiger as a clan totem.

Tujia people in different geographical locations have different feelings about the belief in the White Tiger. For example, in western Hubei, people worship the majesty of the white tiger, so people in western Hubei often worship the white tiger at home as the god of the family and pray for the safety of their families. On the other hand, Xiangxi is afraid of the ferocity of the white tiger. They think that if the white tiger walks by the door, it will also bring disaster. They have a deep fear of tigers and even replace the words related to tigers or words that sound like tigers with cats.

Tujia historical and cultural heritage is always accompanied by the existence of white tiger, which is not only expected to bring good luck, but also hopes to become a white tiger after the death of ancestors. This worship represents the unity of man and god, and the construction and dissemination of Tujia culture highlighted in White Tiger is the foundation of Tujia culture.