The white tiger is one of the “four guardians” in Feng Shui, ruling the western sky in ancient Asian astrology. In most interpretations, the guardians were considered “gods” or “symbols” of gods because they ruled over the heavens (the sky). The white tiger is closely associated with the metal element and the fall season.
The Symbolism of the White Tiger Feng Shui Guardian
The white tiger represents great strength but not in a showy way as the green dragon, another Feng Shui guardian, and its complementary opposite. A white tiger’s energy symbolizes courage, daring, and fearlessness but in a stealthy way rather than the overtness of the green dragon. The white tiger is also considered a more dignified form of energy. It represents the yin (the feminine energy) to the green dragon’s yang (masculine energy). The white tiger’s energy is quieter protective energy.
The white tiger represents the right side of our bodies opposite to the green dragon representing the left side. The same is true of the home, an office, or any room within these structures. For practical purposes, this can also be applied to the yard and the sighting of a new structure on the landscape. When the white tiger is dominant over the green dragon, the thinking by the inhabitants tends to be more contemplative and reflective. On the other hand, with the green dragon dominates over the white tiger, the thinking tends to be more visceral and reactive.
If you display a white tiger in your home, you should always display a green dragon as well as they are indispensable to one another and should never be apart. This is because the white tiger is the most yin of the Feng Shui guardians and the green dragon is the most yang of the Feng Shui guardians and opposites attract!
Because the white tiger is so courageous and brave, it can be helpful to place the white tiger on the right side of all entrances to the home. If you decide to decorate with paintings of the white tiger and the green dragon, you’ll need to decide which type of thinking you want to dominate your domicile and hang the one you want to dominate a little higher. If a white tiger looks peaceful, it is simply there to protect the premises and the occupants. However, if the white tiger is showing teeth, it is said to be actively warding off evil spirits. This can be a particularly useful Feng Shui cure if there’s been trauma or tragedy in the family.
In ancient times, the green dragon was always placed higher than the white tiger inside the home because of the traditional view that masculine energy dominates feminine energy. However, over the centuries, this had adjusted for different cultures and different schools of thought. So, regardless of what you read online, you should know that you have to be the one to decide how you want to distribute Feng Shui energy in your own home. Do you want the thinking to be more reflective or more visceral? Perhaps you want them to be equal. Remember too, you can always fine-tune the relative placement of the Feng Shui guardians at any time as your life circumstances change.
In a business environment, the white tiger can be very useful if there is tension in the workplace as the energy of the white tiger suppresses negativity, especially interpersonal negativity. Therefore, one Feng Shui cure to bad office politics is to assert the white tiger into a more prominent position. This will help people to be more reasoned in their approach to dealing with other people rather than acting before thinking. However, be aware that the white tiger can also get moody and occasionally create some drama of its own, even when the green dragon is relatively subdued. The positive side of this is that the white tiger can also inspire great intellectual creativity by this apparent moodiness.
Sometimes displaying an image of the white tiger on an inner right wall, or adding a metallic white tiger figurine to an office shelf on the right side, is all it will take to repair harmony and greater productivity to a workplace. However, if this doesn’t work, you may need to work on subduing the green tiger in your business space while at the same time elevating the white tiger. Another trick is to select a powerful image of the white tiger that stares right into the eyes of the onlooker. You can also try reframing your white tiger artwork in a bigger metal frame to enhance its energy.
Although the white tiger is said to be associated with feminine energy, the yin, the Chinese name for the tiger, “wang,” literally translates to the word “king” in English, not queen. Further, the male God of Wealth, Tsai Shen Yeh, was said to ride a white tiger to gain strength and insight. The white tiger is a fiercely determined animal and it will help you get ahead in life, regardless of whether you are a man or woman, so men, don’t let the “yin” part of the white tiger make you think this Feng Shui guardian is not for you! The white tiger can indeed help men get ahead in life and many men are drawn to its steely determination.
In ancient Asia, the tiger was revered as the king of all animals. It was thought that when a tiger lived to be five hundred years old, its body fur and tail would turn white. Thus, the white tiger was the wisest tiger of all the tigers and very protective. It is not uncommon in China, even to this day, for parents to make their children white pillows in the shape of a tiger to help keep them safe and to give them wisdom when they lay their heads on these white tiger pillows. In fact, white tigers are even said to stand guard over military troops. Thus, if you want a good Feng Shui cure to protect you and help you get ahead in life at the same time, the white tiger is an auspicious choice.
Danica Jackson got her first telescope when she was only nine years old. She's been fascinated with all things celestial ever since. Her studies on history and anthropology give her unique perspectives on astrology and personal growth.
