老虎的威风

在远古时候，属相中有狮子，没有老虎。

In ancient times, there was a lion among the zodiac signs, but no tiger.

由于狮子太凶残，名声不好，主管封属相的玉皇大帝想把狮子除名，但是又必须补进一位镇管山林的动物。

Due to the lion's ferocity and bad reputation, the Jade Emperor, who oversaw the zodiac, wanted to remove the lion from the list but needed to replace it with another animal that could manage the mountains and forests.

这时，玉帝想到殿前的虎卫士。

At that moment, the Jade Emperor thought of the tiger guardian at the palace entrance.

天宫的虎卫士从前也只是地上的一种不出名的动物。

The tiger guardian of the heavenly palace was once just an obscure animal on the ground. After learning eighteen different skills from its master, the cat, such as grabbing, pouncing, biting, frying, rushing, leaping, and folding, it became a warrior of the mountains and forests.

它从猫师傅那里学得抓、扑、咬、煎、冲、跃、折等十八般武艺后，成为山林中的勇士。

Anyone who faced the tiger, either died or was injured. From then on, the tiger reigned supreme in the mountains and forests.

凡是它较量的，不死即伤。从此，老虎雄霸山林。

Later, the Jade Emperor heard about the tiger's incredible bravery and ordered it to ascend to heaven.

后来，玉帝听说老虎勇猛无比，便下旨传老虎上天。

Once in heaven, the tiger battled with ten guardians of the Jade Emperor and emerged victorious. Thus, the tiger became the guardian of the heavenly palace.

老虎上天之后，同玉帝的卫十较量，赢得胜利。从此，老虎便成了天宫的殿前卫士。

It wasn’t long before the animals on the ground, seeing that there was no one to oversee them, began to act recklessly, causing disasters in the human world. This alarmed the Earth God, who promptly reported to heaven and asked the Jade Emperor to send a celestial warrior to control the beasts.

准知不久之后，地上的飞禽走兽见无人镇管，开始胡作非为起来。

The Jade Emperor sent the tiger to the mortal realm, and the tiger requested a merit point for each victory it achieved.

给人间造成了灾难这事惊动了土地神，土地神连忙上报天庭，请玉帝派统勇天神镇住百兽。

The Jade Emperor, only concerned about peace on earth, readily agreed to the tiger's requests.

玉帝便派老虎下凡，老虎要求每胜一次，便给他记一功。

Upon arriving in the mortal realm, the tiger learned that the lion, bear, and horse were the three strongest animals at that time.

玉帝只求人间安宁，当然满口答应老虎的要求。

It specifically challenged these three animals. With the tiger's bravery and skill, it defeated the lion, bear, and horse in succession. Other ferocious beasts fled in fear and hid in uninhabited forests and wilderness.

来了凡间，老虎了解到狮子、熊、马是当时最厉害的三种动物。

The people rejoiced and thanked the tiger for its great contributions to the world.

它就专门向这三种动物挑战。凭着老虎的勇猛和高超的武艺连接击败了狮子、熊、马。其他恶兽闻风而逃，藏进了无人居住的森林荒野。

After returning to heaven, the Jade Emperor, pleased with the tiger's three consecutive victories, inscribed three horizontal lines on its forehead.

人间欢声动地，感谢老虎为人世间立了大功。

Later, the mortal realm was again troubled by the sea monster from the East China Sea, leading to widespread flooding.

回到天上，玉帝因老虎连胜三伏，便在它的前领刻下了三条横线。

With shrimp soldiers and crab generals wreaking havoc on earth, the tiger went down again and killed the sea monster. The Jade Emperor, delighted, awarded the tiger another significant merit, adding a vertical line among the three horizontal ones on its forehead.

后来，人间又受到东海龟怪的骚扰，大地一片汪洋。

Thus, a prominent "king" character now appeared on the tiger’s forehead.

虾兵蟹将作恶人间，老虎又来到凡间，咬死了龟怪。玉帝一高兴，又给老虎记一大功，在额头的三横之中又添了一竖。

From then on, the tiger became the king of all beasts, overseeing all animals.

于是一个醒目的“王”字现在老虎前额。

To this day, the majestic "king" character can still be seen on the tiger's forehead.

从此，老虎便为百兽之王，总管百兽。

When the lion's bad name reached the heavenly palace, the Jade Emperor decided to remove the lion's zodiac title and replace it with the tiger, the king of beasts. From then on, the tiger became part of the zodiac, while the lion was banished to the distant south.

时至今天，虎额上也还可见到威风的“王”字。

Of course, the tiger also descended from its position as the Jade Emperor's guardian to eternally maintain peace in the lower world.

狮子的恶名传来天宫后，玉帝便决定除去狮子的属相头衔，补进了兽王虎。从此，虎成为了属相，狮子则被贬到遥远的南方去了。

Today, there are still talismans, rings, and carvings of tigers used to ward off disasters.

当然，老虎也从玉帝的殿前卫士下凡间，永保下界安宁。

In rural areas, many families like to dress their children in tiger hats and shoes. This is not just for good fortune and to avoid evil; it symbolizes auspiciousness and peace.

今天也还有虎符、虎环、虎雕等除灾免祸的镇邪物。

Between 3 am and 5 am (the "Yin Hour"), according to ancient texts, the tiger is most active, fierce, and causes the most harm during this time, as it aligns with the tiger's energy.

在农村，不少人家也喜欢给孩子戴虎头帽、穿虎头鞋。为个咐，这不是图个趋吉避邪，吉祥平安。

凌晨3－5时（即“寅时”）。据古书载。这时候，老虎是最活跃、最凶猛、伤人最多，因为寅时同虎搭配。