Page 281 - A Dictionary of Chinese Symbols BIG Book

P

Panther

bao

The word bao means ‘leopard’ or ‘panther’. Neither animal is common in Chinese
painting. In the older literature, there is, at most, rather frequent mention of the panther’s
tail (bao-wei), which was a mark of distinction, used to adorn war chariots. The panther
itself is regarded as a savage and cruel animal, and it was probably for this reason that the
word bao = panther was taboo in West China (bao = cruel, savage). In actual fact, the
animal symbolises ‘taming savagery’ (fu-meng); a young woman who was beautiful, but
also headstrong and violent, was dubbed a ‘flowery panther’ (hua bao-z).

Panther and magpie as harbingers of joys to come