Ballad Tiger
童謠虎
A quiet stride,
a fearless heart.
In Chinese tradition, the tiger has long been a symbol of power and protection. Its fierce image appears not only in stories and art, but also in folk objects made to ward off harm and guard children. Over time, the tiger became both fearsome and affectionate — a powerful creature that could also belong to everyday life.
Tongyao Tiger was the first zodiac creature I made. Before it had that name, it began as a patchwork cloth tiger called Da Aowu — a playful name inspired by the sound of a tiger’s roar.
The earliest version had no teeth at all. It felt too gentle, almost incomplete, so I changed the structure, added a pair of exaggerated fangs, widened its eyes, and let it become mischievous, proud, and slightly ridiculous.
Looking back now, I realize this little tiger was the beginning of something much larger. It was the first time I saw how folk imagery, printed fabric, handmade form, and New Year symbolism could live together inside one creature.
Around that time, I had just begun experimenting with silkscreen printing on fabric. I started wondering whether words themselves could become part of a doll’s surface.
So I printed the Chinese nursery rhyme 《兩隻老虎》 onto the tiger’s body:
「兩隻老虎，兩隻老虎，跑得快，跑得快……」
The rhyme was playful, slightly absurd, and strangely perfect for this tiger. Layered with motifs inspired by Chinese folk paper-cutting, the printed words gave the creature a new identity: Tongyao Tiger (童謠虎) — the Nursery Rhyme Tiger.
Twelve years later, when the Tiger returned, I redesigned it again. I replaced the old digital lettering with hand-painted brushwork and gave the tiger a new skin, while keeping the playful spirit that had started everything.
Without Tongyao Tiger, there would have been no twelve-year zodiac project.
Made by Hand
Original patterns are screen-printed onto fabric, then each piece is cut, sewn, filled, and finished by hand. Small variations are part of the process, making every zodiac companion slightly different.
Zodiac Years
People born in the Year of the Tiger include:
1926 · 1938 · 1950 · 1962 · 1974 · 1986 · 1998 · 2010 · 2022
Your zodiac year returns every twelve years.
For those born in the Year of the Tiger, 2034 is one of those special years.
