Ｔｉｇｅｒ，Ｔｉｇｅｒ　Ｂｕｒｎｉｎｇ　Ｂｒｉｇｈｔ.docVIP

Ｔｉｇｅｒ，Ｔｉｇｅｒ　Ｂｕｒｎｉｎｇ　Ｂｒｉｇｈｔ 　　IT is no big news that a farming community sometimes produces an artist or two. But when there are hundreds, that surely is a phenomenon, particularly if all of them specialize in the same subject. In Wanggongzhuang, a village in Minquan County, Shangqu City, Henan Province, more than two-thirds of the 320-odd households produce or trade paintings, all themed on the tiger. 　　Except for the very old and the very young, all the villagers are able to draw or paint the great cat. Most families have their own studios, and some run as many as a dozen. It is not rare to see scores of people working at easels at the same time on the same spot. 　　 　　The tiger’s image is everywhere in Wanggongzhuang ?C from plates to building exteriors. In Chinese culture, the king of the jungle is an auspicious and sacred animal, avatar of one of the heavenly guardians. Its image is believed to have magical powers, capable of warding off evil from a home and bringing its family lasting peace. That is why so many households used to hang pictures of the tiger on the front walls of their sitting rooms. Now, the tiger has brought prosperity to the village. 　　The Wanggongzhuang tiger paintings are done in the traditional gongbi style ?C a meticulous brushwork that features fine lines and realistic tones. They elaborate on details as fleeting as the hairs on the striped skin, while conveying the kingly demeanor of the predator. Customers can send their particular specifications along with their orders, and the farmers can create the way they see fit. 　　Besides tiger paintings, the village has developed a variety of sideline tiger handicrafts, including embroidered tiger-patterned caps, shoes and pillows, which all find ready buyers. 　　The big cat has long been an element in the tradition of the heartland of the Central Plains, where Wanggongzhuang is located. The village is just 10 kilometers from the birthplace of Zhuang Zi (369-286 B.C.), a prominent philosoph