Is the cloth tiger in Shaanxi a national handicraft?

Cloth tiger is a kind of toy widely circulated among Shaanxi people. In the eyes of China people, the tiger is a symbol of exorcism and disaster avoidance, and it can also protect wealth. During the Dragon Boat Festival on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, it is popular to make cloth tigers for children, or draw tiger faces on children's foreheads with realgar, symbolizing health, strength and courage. There are many kinds of cloth tigers, including single-headed tiger, double-headed tiger, four-headed tiger, female tiger, pillow tiger and tiger cover.

The production materials and techniques of cloth tigers are also different. It is common to sew with cotton cloth and silk, and fill it with sawdust or chaff, and paint, embroider, cut and paste, and dig up the tiger's facial features and patterns on the surface. Cloth tiger highlights its brave appearance with its big head, big eyes, big mouth and big tail. The tiger's head and facial features are naive and childish, revealing the cuteness of childhood.

Shaanxi has the custom of sending cloth tigers to raise children. When the child is full moon, my uncle's family will send a tiger made of yellow cloth. When I enter the gate, I will break a tiger's tail and throw it outside. Giving cloth tigers is to hope that children will be as powerful as tigers when they grow up; Breaking the tiger's tail is to hope that children will avoid disasters and difficulties in the process of growing up. The custom of giving tiger pillows is popular all over Shanxi. Whenever a child has a birthday, an uncle will give his nephew a tiger pillow or a pair of tiger pillows, which can be used as pillows, toys and blessings.