Introduction on Tiger & Rooster Deity (公雞神與虎爺公)

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A lot of Taoists & Chinese had been approaching me on finding out why in most of the Temples, they will usually see a few Roosters' Statues being put together with the Statue of Tiger Deities. Some of them even thought that the Roosters' Statues are actually the 'Food' for Tiger Deities.

In here, I will do a quick Introduction on the Reasons of why there are these Roosters being placed around on the Altar of Tiger Deities.

This History had to track back to Late Ming Dynasty (明朝末年), in Hokkien Province, Quan Zhou City (中國福建省泉州市).

According to the Records on Ancient Quan Zhou. During Late Ming Dynasty, One Year in one of the small Towns, strange issues happened to All the Farms & Home-plantation Areas.

Every Morning, when the Farmers woke-up, they would see Vegetables and Rice-grains scattered around in the Premises and some were being eaten half-way. For little Children, whom accidentally touches the Left-over Food-items, the Children would start to Cry and got Fever in the Night.

Due to unknown causes and eager Parents couldnt get the necessary assistances from the Physicians, one of the Elders from the Town suggested to approached Deities for help.

With no choices, the Town-mates had to gather around and went to the nearby Tu Di Temple (a small Earth Shrine dedicated to Earth Deity 土地祠) to make their Report.

The Elder who suggested this Idea came forward to the Altar of the Earth Deity and started to make a Long Report to Tu Di and after the Reporting, the Elder got hold of the Divination Blocks (聖筊 the Culture of using of Divination Blocks was being invented in Early Ming Dynasty, pls refer to http://javewutaoismplace.blogspot.sg/2007/12/the-history-of-puay-aka-bei-or.html) and then throw them on the Altar. Immediately after the Divination Blocks hit the Altar, the Blocks cracked into Half and a Chinese Character Hu aka Tiger (虎) appeared.

Upon considering & thinking, the Elder got the Hint and asked a few Guys to carry the Tiger Statue, that placed under the Altar of Tu Di, to go round the Town.

Once the Statue of the Tiger Deity was being carried out from the Earth Shrine, Thunder starting to Roar and Lightning started to Strike. In-order to avoid from hurting from the Thunder & Lightning, All the Town-mates ran home to get their necessary Protection.

Seeing the scene, the few Guys who carried the Statue of Tiger Deity also ran home, leaving the Statue besides a Well outside the Earth Shrine.

Thunder continue to Roar and Lightning non-stop Striking. Soon, the whole Sky turned dark and suddenly, a loud Rooster-crowing was heard. The Town-mates were shocked and some of them started to peek out the Window to check on what had happened.

Upon peeking out from the Window, to their Horror, the Town-mates saw a Human-size Rooster flocking around, trying to fight with a Big-size Tiger.

After a few rounds of Fighting, the Tiger Roar out loud and with a Strong-stepping on the Human-size Rooster, the Rooster was being stepped under the Paw of the Tiger. Once the Rooster was being subdued, the Stormy Sky started to clear off and Sun started to shine on the Land again.

Seeing that the Sky had cleared, the Town-mates returned to the Earth Shrine again and saw the Statue of Tiger Deity was nicely placed besides the Well, but this time Round, with an extra Stone Rooster Figurine.

After noticing this, the Elder started to comment again, saying that the Source of causing of these Unfortunate issues was actually this Rooster Demon and most of the Town-mates agreed on that.

From then, the Hokkien Clan Taoists will tend to place a few Roosters' Statues beside the Tiger Deities, acting as a form of Gratitude and also, hoping that the Unfortunate Luck can be ward-off.

Extra Note:

Note One:

In some other Chinese Culture & Believes, the Roosters that being placed besides the Tiger Deity are to represent Auspicious.

Auspicious, in Chinese pronounce as Ji (吉 2nd Pronouciation), sound quite similar to the Chinese saying of Rooster Ji (雞 1st Pronouciation).

So the Chinese will believed that, after the Tiger Deities ward off All the Negative Elements and by honouring the Rooster Deities, oneself will be blessed with Good Lucks and All Auspicious Elements will be bestowed.

雞神送吉晦運開。富貴榮華天賜來。
Ji Shen Song Ji Hui Yun Kai. Fu Gui Rong Hua Tian Ci Lai.

Note Two:

In Chinese Culture, Rooster is also a symbol of New Start or New Life.

By Clearing-off the Necessary Negative Elements from the honouring of Tiger Deities, the Chinese sincerely hope that a New Cycle of Luck or Life will start and so, by honouring the Rooster Deities, the Chinese hope that the Rooster Deities will open their Mouth to Crow once and when the Crow ended, a New Cycly of Life for the Bad-luck-bearer will initial.

春吉(雞)開啟萬象新。四季循環樂安寧。
Chun Ji (Ji) Kai Qi Wan Xiang Xin. Si Ji Xun Huan Le An Ning.