This Panel only includes four of the twelve creatures in the Chinese Zodiac: From left to right, it shows the Tiger, a Rabbit, a Dragon, and a Snake. Though much of the wooden paint has faded away, their expressions and form are able to convey what each animal represents.

The Tiger stands with a raised tail, demonstrating wariness. It has an open mouth, and since tigers are seen as strong predators, this one may be attacking or guarding against a threat. In Chinese culture tigers are described as courageous, strong, and brave, and the tiger’s wary pose and aggressive expression illustrates this well.

The rabbit is drawn with wind blowing around it to illustrate its speed. It appears to be cautious, but also looking forward, as if curious about the future. In the Chinese Zodiac, the rabbit represents hope and alertness, which the artist was able to capture well. 

The dragon stands with one claw raised and its mouth open, but does not have a hostile expression on its face. Dragons are believed to represent the Emperor, as the greatest of all the creatures. As such, the dragon was drawn with the most detail.

The snake’s mouth is lined with many teeth, and appears aggressive. They are known to be hostile and cunning, and the artist was able to convey it well. The blue drawing in front of the snake looks like wind with an eye at the front, which goes along with its representation of transformation and treacherous nature.

From the collection of:  The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Made by Connor Chen