Children's toys in the Qing court

A cloth tiger kept at the Palace Museum. [Photo/dpm.org.cn]

Cloth tiger

The big-headed and long-tailed cloth tiger is painted with tabby decoration, with a pattern of “王” (the character means king) at the top of its head, looks charmingly naive. There were once inlaid with glass eyeballs, which now are lost. This cloth tiger can be used as a toy during the daytime and as a pillow during the night. It is cute as well as functional.

The cloth tiger is deemed to be a symbol of exorcism, disaster prevention, peace and good luck, and it can also protect one’s fortune. During the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, it is very popular to make the cloth tiger for children, according to the characteristics of the tiger, symbolizing health, strength and boldness.