Year of the Water Tiger 2022
by Kenneth Lyen
INTRODUCTION
We say farewell to the 2021 Chinese zodiac's metal ox. Ironically, a Feng Shui master wrote: "the metal element of the ox represents anything sparkly from jewelry to the acupuncture needle." But when we saw the needle, we immediately linked it to the syringe needle used for COVID-19 vaccinations. Goodbye, metal ox!
We now welcome the year of the tiger, and let us watch it swim into 2022. Recent heavy rainfall and flooding especially in Southeast Asia creates an environment that favours the swimming water tiger.
SUBTYPES OF TIGERS
Before we tell you what Feng Shui masters tell us what is in store for the year of the water tiger, let us explore the different types of tigers. Did you know there are 5 types of tiger: wood, fire, earth, metal, and lastly, the water tiger. Each participates in the 12 year Chinese zodiac cycle, and hence their sovereignty rotates only once every 60 years.
Each tiger has a preset personality type:
a) Wood Tiger: Honest and free from worries. They are quite proud of their lineage.
b) Fire Tiger: Composed, smart, and enjoy learning. They will meet supportive and helpful figures in life.
c) Earth Tiger: Extremely intelligent, but often go to extremes and can endure big mood swings. A good opportunity will present itself to the Earth Tiger.
d) Metal Tiger: Family-oriented, patient, tolerant. Will have smooth careers but must not become overconfident.
e) Water Tiger: Straightforward, they work hard and go after what they want. Difficult early years, but middle ages will be full of fortune. Should not marry early.
CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE BORN IN THE YEAR OF THE TIGER
The descriptions belowed are taken from several Feng Shui experts. They regard tigers as fierce and wild animals, and consider them the most powerful animal in the Chinese zodiac. People born in the year of the tiger are often brave, adventurous and they love traveling. They see possibilities all around them and are willing to take risks. Their minds think independently and they live by their own rules. They can be very patient, and can work well under pressure.
Tigers can make good leaders, managers, writers, and many become good actors, graphic designers, advertising agents, pilots, and musicians. Their health is usually quite robust, and they often participate in a variety of sports. They show sensitivity, charm, empathy, and they are loyal to their friends and loved ones; hence they often make a good spouse and parent. Friendships are usually long-lasting.
The Feng Shui experts suggest that Tigers are not suitable to work in desk jobs especially if they are not given much freedom in decision-making, and if they do not find much fun in the office.
Although Tigers have positive traits, there are some dangerous elements. They are difficult to tame, and therefore you should keep them on your side and try not to antagonise them. You must watch your back when collaborating with a Tiger.
KING OF THE CHINESE ZODIAC
It seems an incredible coincidence that the markings on the forehead of tigers resembles the Chinese word for "king", or "wang" (see above). Indeed tigers are regarded as the king of the animals in the Chinese zodiac.
SINGAPORE TIGERS
In the 19th century all the way until 1930, tigers used to roam Singapore, and were spotted in Bukit Timah, Choa Chu Kang, Tampines and Changi. Being good swimmers, some of the tigers swam across the Strait of Johore to Singapore. They fed on wild pigs and deer that were found in the jungles of Singapore. But when land was cleared for plantations and for roads, the tigers became a menace. As early as 1831, barely 12 years after Raffles founded Singapore, a local newspaper reported that a male Chinese was killed by a tiger.
Attacks on workers (coolies) by tigers became increasingly frequent in the mid-19th century, and it was estimated that there was one death every day. The government offered rewards for each tiger killed. In 1902, a tiger wandered along beach road and hid inside Raffles Hotel. So the principal of nearby Raffles Institution, Charles McGowan Phillips, shot it dead. The very last tiger killed was in October 1930 in Choa Chu Kang (see picture above).
DID SANG NILA UTAMA GET IT WRONG?
As there are no lions in Southeast Asia, it is speculated that Sang Nila Utama may have mistaken a tiger for a lion. Thus we are stuck with the wrong name, “Singapura the Lion City”. Does anyone want to correct the mistake and rename our country “Harimau the Tiger City”?
MORE SINGAPORE TIGERS
We welcome the Year of the Tiger by displaying them in several places. Gardens by the Bay has a display of tigers... the photo below is taken by Justin Kan.... wow, beautiful!
Below is a photo by Peh Lian Soon taken in Singapore's Chinatown during the Chinese New Year Festival.
TIGERS IN POPULAR CARTOONS
Tigers have gained worldwide affection by being featured in several popular cartoons. Five of them are depicted in the Lunar New Year salutations below: Shere Khan from the Jungle Book, the Tigress from Kung Fu Panda, Tigger from Winnie the Pooh, Tony from Kellog's Frosted Flakes, and Hobbes from Calvin and Hobbes:
TIGER ART
Nowadays you can buy art online, and there are many tiger pictures for sale on the internet. What surprised me is that there has been a surge in art sales using Non-Fungible Tokens.
NON-FUNGIBLE ART TIGERS THRIVING IN THE JUNGLEVERSE
In real life the number of tigers is declining, and there are only about 3,900 tigers roaming in the wild today. However, in the metaverse, there are well over 10,000 tigers prowling the internet for sale. It is amazing that so many people are using non-fungible tokens (NFTs) for buying art that they cannot really own.
Recent news highlighted a 22-year-old student Sultan Gustaf Al Ghozali earning over $1 million by selling unsmiling selfies of himself using NFTs. Hence, if you are a tiger digital artist, perhaps you might like to enter the NFT jungle, and entice the fat cat investors to bid against each other, so that you too can become a millionaire!
FINAL COMMENTS
Depicting the tiger together with images of gold ingots, coins, and other emblems of wealth can help favourably capture wealth luck during this year.
We hope that during the year of the Tiger, the COVID-19 pandemic will be vanguished. We wish you and your family good health, good fortune, and a successful New Year!
Roar!!!
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Before I forget, the airline industry worldwide is struggling to survive because the COVID-19 pandemic has affected air travel quite badly. So try to support Singapore's Scoot Tiger Air if you can!
Hope you are all feasting during Chinese New Year! Anyone still feeling hungry? Have a tiger roll!
REFERENCES
Metal ox
https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/lunar-new-year-2021-ox/index.html
Subtypes of tiger. https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/horoscopes/12822342/chinese-zodiac-water-tiger-horoscope-calendar/
World of Feng Shui. https://www.wofs.com/feng-shui-2022-outlook-for-the-coming-year-of-the-water-tiger/
Omar M. Tigers in Singapore. https://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/infopedia/articles/SIP_1081_2007-01-17.html
Written by Kenneth Lyen
31 Jan 2022 (Lunar New Year eve)
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