Hu Ye

虎爺

The Tiger Lord who guards temples and children from beneath the altar

Hu Ye (虎爺), the Tiger Lord, is the tiger deity of Chinese folk religion and Taoism, beloved above all in Taiwanese temples. Devotees believe he was once a fierce mountain tiger, tamed by a god such as the Earth God (Tudi Gong) or the healer-god Baosheng Dadi. He now serves as that god's mount and as General of the Lower Altar. Settlers brought his cult to Taiwan from Fujian.

People turn to him to guard temples, homes and villages, to drive away evil and ghosts, to protect children's health, and to bring and keep wealth, for the tiger "bites the money in." He is usually enshrined low, beneath the main altar table. Worshippers greet him last, after the main gods, with offerings such as eggs and sweets. Customs differ from temple to temple, so devotees follow the local temple's way.

See the gallery

虎爺

No. 086

How to recognise Hu Ye

A whole tigerHe is almost always shown as a complete tiger, usually crouching or lying low, because he is an animal deity rather than a human figure.
Yellow coat, bold stripesThe yellow tiger with black stripes is called Hu Ye Gong and is the Earth God's mount.
Black tigerA black-furred tiger, the Lower Altar General or Black Tiger General, is the mount of Baosheng Dadi, Zhao Gongming and Zhang Daoling.
Descending-mountain poseTemple statues often show the head low, the rump raised and the tail lifted, as the tiger crouches or sits on all four legs, watchful and never attacking.
Round, staring eyesWide round eyes and an open mouth showing the front teeth give a look that is both fierce and endearing, and temple carvings are often called friendly.
Coin or ingot in the jawsA gold coin or gold ingot held in his mouth is the sign of "the tiger bites the money in."
Low seatHe sits under the main altar table or in an arched niche below the main deity, though a few temples, such as Xingang Fengtian in Chiayi, place him on or beside the altar.

Names and titles

General of the Lower AltarXiatan Jiangjun, his formal Taoist title, because he sits below the main altar
Golden Tiger GeneralJinhu Jiangjun, a respectful title for the tiger
Guardian Beneath the AltarHe crouches under the main altar table, guarding the temple
Coin in His JawsThe saying 'the tiger bites the money in' describes the gold coin held in his mouth
Little Guardian of ChildrenHe is honoured as a protector of children, who play close to him under the altar

Feast days

Hu Ye's Birthday (虎爺聖誕)6th day of the 6th lunar month (next: 8 July 2027)

The birthday of the Tiger Lord, or Hu Ye, the tiger guardian known as General of the Lower Altar. Devotees honor him as a protector and a giver of good fortune, and as a guardian of children.
How it's celebrated. Devotees visit Tiger Lord temples and Mazu temples such as Xingang Fengtian and Beigang Chaotian to offer birthday greetings. Common offerings are eggs, raw pork, dried tofu, sweets, fruit and incense. Many touch the statue or exchange coins for luck, and some bring children for a blessing. Offerings differ by temple, so some devotees ask the temple first. Shuili has a procession.
Sources: RTI: Celebrating the tiger god's birthday in Taiwan · Taiwanese Gods: Tiger Lord · UDN Orange: 六月初六拜虎爺
Birthday of the Tiger Lord (虎爺誕辰)12th day of the 2nd lunar month (next: 18 March 2027)

A second birthday date for the Tiger Lord (Hu Ye) given in some popular Taoist and folk accounts. It is an alternative reckoning of the same birthday, kept by a minority. Temples differ, so confirm locally.
How it's celebrated. Little is recorded about rites specific to this date. The sources I found give the date and the Tiger Lord's titles but no festival customs. Devotees who keep it presumably use the usual Tiger Lord offerings, such as eggs, raw pork, sweets and incense. That is an assumption, so ask a local temple what it does.
Sources: The Jade Turtle Records: The Tiger Spirit · RTI: Celebrating the tiger god's birthday in Taiwan