Gradually, the dragon came to hold the dominant powition in the heavens and the tiger became one of his subordinates, the king of mountains. Ever since the Qin Dynasty in the third centur bC,emperors have monopolized the right of using the dragon symbol. Qinshihuang proclaimed himself the son of the dragon and said his power to rule was given by Heaven. Later on, all the emperors in Chinese history followed wuit. The Emperor s chair was called the dragon chair, his dress the dragon robe.
Dragons appear everywhere in the imperial palace.
Anyone else who dared to connect himself with the dragon symbol would be sentenced to death for a crime against the emperor. The tiger,on the other hand, has always belonged to the people. It is loved not merely as a totem, but has been secularized through the years. People love its beauty and strength,find spiritual sustenance in it,and use it as a protector and symbol of good luck. For example, in new year prints, we can often see a picture called The Tiger guards the House .People will put it on the front door at the beginning of the year,so that the tiger will protect the family and let it have a peaceful life during the rest of the year.