Tiger Pillow
Lesson Objective
Students will look at pillows in 12th-century China and in other cultures throughout the world. They’ll learn the traditional Chinese belief that a pillow could give qualities to those who sleep on it, thus looking at the symbolism of the animals chosen for the pillows. Then they’ll design their own symbolic pillow.
If you wish to replace or add creative writing, compare and contrast activities, and/or historical research to your lesson, see the Learning Extensions section.
Introduction
Rippling black stripes on a rich orange coat, gleaming white teeth and a focused gaze, a long tail tucked against a robust body. Most people would immediately recognize this animal as a tiger. But you might be surprised to learn that this ceramic beast about 15 inches long was used as a pillow in 12th-century China. According to Chinese tradition, a pillow could give special qualities to the person who slept on it. Because the tiger has been a powerful symbol in China since ancient times, it made a good pillow.
Warm-Up Questions
Take a moment to look at the Tiger Pillow.
- What do you see? What more can you find?
- How does this artwork make you feel? What do you see that makes you say that?
- What questions do you have after looking at this artwork?
Background
Pillows Throughout History
Left: Oceania, Papua New Guinea, Middle Sepik River, Headrest, date unknown, wood, cane, and fiber. Animal figures decorate this large headrest from Papua New Guinea.
Right: Headrest, c. 1880, wood, beads, and string. African headrests are powerful objects. The figures on this Luba headrest are female ancestors who literally and figuratively support the chief.
When you picture a pillow, you probably imagine a soft, feathery, and plush object. However, this wasn’t always the case. Hard pillows and headrests, often made of wood, have been used in various cultures throughout Africa, India, the Pacific Islands, and elsewhere. Ancient Chinese texts refer to pillows made of wood or bamboo, and such pillows were used in China into the 20th century.
Ceramic pillows began to appear in China in the Tang dynasty (618–906), and lots of them were produced in the Song dynasty (960–1279). Because they’re so durable, they’ve lasted longer than other types of pillows made in those times. Modern scholars once believed that ceramic pillows were made only for use in tombs. The Chinese had a tradition of placing ceramic models of household objects in tombs for use in the afterlife. But from written records and other evidence, we now know that ceramic pillows had a practical purpose, too. However, it’s hard to tell which pillows were for everyday use and which were for tombs.
Left: Egypt, Headrest, c. 2635–2155 BCE, hardwood. This Egyptian headrest is more than 4,000 years old. Right: Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, Headrest, 19th century, wood and copper.
This headrest from the Luba culture protected its owner’s elaborate hairstyle.
The Power of Pillows
Pillows with magical powers appear in many Chinese folktales and superstitions. There is a tale about the adventures of a man who could climb inside his pillow and be magically transported to other places. One of the legendary Taoist Immortals is said to have used a pile of three books of Taoist teachings as his pillow to inspire pure and elegant dreams. A folk medicine recipe called for filling a wooden pillow with herbs and other substances. After a year of sleeping on the pillow, the recipe claimed, white hair will turn black, new teeth will replace those that had fallen out, and hearing and sight will grow clear.
The scholar Kao Lien, writing in 1591, recommended porcelain pillows because they brighten the eyes and benefit the pupils. When night comes, he claimed, one can read finely printed books using such a pillow. He also noted that porcelain pillows offered soothing coolness during hot weather. Although the Tiger pillow is stoneware rather than fine porcelain, it too would have had that cool quality.
Left: China, Octagonal Pillow, 12th–early 13th century, stoneware with brown and white slip. A poem or saying inscribed on a pillow soothed the owner.
Right: China, Pillow in the form of a recumbent tiger, 12th–13th century. Slip-covered stoneware with painted and incised lotus decor under clear glaze. Gift of funds from Louis W. Hill, Jr. and an Anonymous Donor.
Tiger Pillow Symbols
The tiger was an important symbol in the ancient Chinese philosophy of Taoism (DOW-ism). Taoism explains the world in terms of two opposite forces: yin (from the ancient Chinese word for shady) and yang (from the word for bright). Yin includes darkness, water, wind, and the earth. Yang includes light, fire, rain, and the heavens. Yin is passive, while yang is active. According to this philosophy, everything in the universe results from the interaction of yin and yang.
The dragon, a mythical animal thought to rule the heavens, stands for yang. The tiger, considered the mightiest animal on earth, stands for yin. Tigers and dragons were popular subjects for paintings at the time this pillow was made. As a symbol for yin (darkness and inactivity and the west, where the sun sets), the tiger may have seemed an especially good form for a pillow. A tiger pillow scared off evil influences as a person slept. Children’s pillows, often not ceramic but made of cotton or silk stuffed with grain husks, frequently took the form of a tiger to protect the child from demons that cause nightmares.
Yamada Dōan, Painter, Japanese, active 16th century. Muromachi or Momoyama period. Tiger [left of the pair Dragon and Tiger]. Six-panel folding screen, one of a pair; ink on paper. The Centennial Fund: Gift of the James Ford Bell Foundation, Aimee Mott Butler Charitable Trust, the Centennial Gala Committee and Carl A. Weyerhaeuser Charitable Trusts, and gift of funds from Mr. and Mrs. Charles H. Bell. 83.75.2. Tigers were popular Daoist images, used on decorative folding screens and scroll paintings.
Chinese Symbolism
The butterfly and flower designs on the top of this pillow may have had a symbolic meaning, or perhaps they simply suggested the sweet dreams of peaceful sleep. In other Chinese pillows, other animals were used, like deer, the emblem of good luck and longevity. Or even flora was used as symbols, like the peony, a common design on Chinese pillows symbolizing wealth, spring and feminine beauty.
Left: China, late 12th century, Detail of Tiger Pillow. Close up of butterfly symbol.
Center: China, Song dynasty (960–1279), Pillow, stoneware with painted decoration on white slip under a clear glaze.
Right: 10th–12th century China, Pillow. Cizhou ware Stoneware with white cut-glaze peony decoration on a brown slip under a transparent glaze. Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton.
Art Activity: Design Your Power Pillow
Materials
- Paper
- Drawing materials
Guided Practice
Look closely at the painting, left to right and top to bottom. What do you see? How does the tiger make you feel? Do you feel comfortable? Do you feel fear? Why do you feel this way? Thinking about sleep and comfort, what animal would help you sleep? Why?
Instructions
- Look at the original tiger pillow and think about moments you have had trouble falling asleep or wanted comfort before bed.
- Think about your bedtime and sleep. What do you usually feel? What do you wish you felt? Make a list of the feelings you wish you felt before bed.
- Think about which animals could be aligned to the feelings you listed: a powerful tiger, a calm turtle, a wise owl.
- With both a list of feelings and animals, design your own power pillow. Draw or sculpt a pillow in the shape of your chosen animals.
Optional Art Extension: Take a look at all the pillows from your classmates and find one with the same animal you chose. Have a discussion as to why they chose the animal they chose and find out if they have assigned the same symbolic meaning to it. If time permits, create a new design of a pillow taking into consideration what you learned from your classmates.
Reflection
Reflect on the students’ thought process and symbolic choices. Why could it be that there are different associations to animals if the animals are the same? How do our life experiences shape the feeling we associate with things? Does this have anything to do with each person’s family and ancestors? How so? Share with the class.
Optional Learning Extensions
Research and Discussion
In this lesson, we have also learned about what the tiger means through Chinese symbolism. However, animals are very important for many cultures and their meanings can range. Choose one animal to look into and research what this animal represents in at least three different cultures. Come prepared for in-class discussion.
Research and Writing
In this lesson, we’ve seen some examples of historical pillows throughout different cultures. How did the pillow we use today become popular? How is our current sleeping culture positive or negative? This is a guided essay on the evolution of pillows and their link to health.
The science behind pillows: Research the history of the pillow we currently use, and investigate the current practices in the rest of the world. Look at how people sleep in the United States and other countries. How were sleep technologies created and popularized? Does the pillow have overall positive or negative impacts on our health? Consul varied and multiple sources.
Evaluation of traditional pillows: Is there any place where the ceramic or wooden pillows discussed in this lesson are still being used? Are there any groups still maintaining traditional cultures of sleeping habits? If so, how have they maintained these objects? If not, why have they disappeared?
Compile all your findings in an essay and add your personal reflection about pillows, sleeping health, and the development of globally used objects.
Minnesota State Standards
Social Studies: Ethnic Studies
K.5.23.1: Create a personal representation of themselves, including their family and/or ancestors. Discuss the choices made, describing what is special and important, including strengths and assets.
8.5.25.1: Describe how groups are reviving and maintaining their traditional cultures, identities, and distinctiveness in the context of increasing globalization.
Social Studies: History
9.4.19.6: World History Era 6: The New Global Era (1900–present). Identify major developments in science, medicine, and technology. Identify different perspectives about the benefits, dangers, and unexpected consequences of these developments for society and the environment.
Social Studies: Visual Arts
5.0.4.7.1–5.9.4.7.1: Respond: Analyze and construct interpretations of artistic work.
5.0.5.9.1–5.5.5.9.1: Connect: Integrate knowledge and personal experiences while responding to, creating, and presenting artistic work.
Reading
4.1.9.1: Collect information from a variety of sources in different formats on a topic of personal interest or academic focus.
Writing
4.2.5.1: Write to inform or explain, organizing and presenting ideas clearly, using precise, domain-specific vocabulary and a variety of text structures, and including an introduction and conclusion, building on skills from previous years.
4.2.7.2: Plan and conduct independent research using sources to build understanding of topic; evaluate perspective, credibility, and relevance of information, avoiding plagiarism, and share findings in writing.