i found this online a picture of a skellington riding a tiger is with orental flowers around it drawn by a tattoo artist is it actually somthing with a name in japanese culture/mythoilgy or som otherway that he/she used as influence or just japanese themed made up by said tattoo artist?
Responses (1)
In Irezumi Symbology the Tora (Tiger) is considered to be the supreme of all land animals by the Chinese, representing strength, courage and long life. Tigers are also said to be able to ward off bad luck, disease and Demons. In many old prints you will see a tiger fighting demons (Oni) at the side of “Shoki” The demon queller. Tigers are one of the 4 sacred animals, symbols of the North and represent the season of Autumn and control of the winds.
There is no symbol for skellingtons but there is one for a skull, the Zugaikotsu. There is actually a more in-depth meaning to the skull tattoo designs than just anger, fear, danger or death - in fact it was not originally conceived as a symbol to represent any of these things. It was instead originally used to represent the symbol of “great change” and “celebration of a great life”. In analysing what the skull traditionally meant in ancient society we discover that it was related to the happening of great changes and an acceptance and embrace of our mortality “embracing the new”. The skull is a symbol used to celebrate and show respect for people who have passed.