![]() ![]() Koreans seized upon it as a symbol of ethnic pride and identity when the country was a Japanese colony, between 19, as historians Joseph Seeley and Aaron Skabelund explained in a 2015 Environmental History journal article on the topic. In the early 20th century, the tiger’s protective role took on a new level of meaning. ![]() Members of the Japan team pose with mascot Soohorang ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games on Feb. White tigers have been seen as sacred guardians in Korean folklore, so ancient Koreans designed talismans shaped like tigers to ward off evil spirits. The color of the tiger is also considered significant. The tombs contain the remains of kings and queens dating back to the 15th century and are considered in the best condition of the sites for ancestral worship in the country. For example, the protective function of the tiger is on display at the royal tombs of the Joseon Dynasty, where stone tiger statues “protect” the tombs, which are a UNESCO World Heritage site. In fact, Siberian (or Amur) tigers are one of the folk symbols most closely associated with Korean culture, and their association with protection has evolved over the course of centuries. The final syllable, “rang,” comes from the Korean word for “tiger,” which is “Ho-rang-i.” And as a nod to the host city, it’s also part of the title of a traditional folk song of the province in which PyeongChang is located. In Korean, “Sooho” means protection, symbolizing “the protection offered to the athletes, spectators and other participants of the 2018 Games,” according to the official Olympics website. Unpacking the mascot’s name will tell you a lot already. And, while Soohorang is new to the scene, there are centuries of history behind why the tiger was chosen to represent these particular Winter Olympic Games. This year’s official Olympic mascot, Soohorang, is a white tiger. While Olympic athletes can sometimes seem superhuman, at least one central figure at Friday’s opening ceremony of the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, will not be human at all. ![]()
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