Tiger
1264
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1264
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Tiger is a 1264 unspecified by Fachang Muqi, a Chinese Orthodox School work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see a tiger licking its paw, filling most of the paper. Its fur is a few quick brushstrokes—no fine detail. This painting was made for Chan (Zen) Buddhist monks. The tiger isn’t just an animal; it’s half of a pair. The other scroll shows a dragon in mist. Together they stand for yin and yang—opposite forces that need each other. The tiger feels solid and close; the dragon feels light and far away. To see the other half, look up “Southern Song dynasty (1127-1279).”
The dragon and tiger are tied to the philosophical concept of yin and yang, which describes opposite but complementary forces. The dragon occupies a tiered background of waves and mist. Its luminous head emerges from the darker passages, and its narrow twisting body is serpent-like. By contrast, the close-up view of the tiger emphasizes its bulk. The tiger bends its head to lick its paw while its tail curls in the foreground. In their original Chan Buddhist context, this pair of scrolls likely flanked a central image, like the Bodhisattva Guanyin. The silk has darkened over the centuries, and…
Fachang Muqi's ink paintings, like this pair, were highly appreciated and collected in Japan.
Read the full account in the museum source.
