Li Xiaomei
01 · Lineage & Regional School
Li Xiaomei, Female, Han, from Licheng, Shanxi, is a sixth-batch national representative bearer of Bulaohu (Ⅶ-95). The tradition is documented in Licheng, Shanxi. Within the regional tradition and school record of Bulaohu in Licheng, Shanxi: The Lihou Tiger is a folk tiger-shaped cloth craft popular in the area of Lihou Town and Tinghepu Township in Licheng County, Shanxi Province. Because Licheng was anciently called "Lihou" (Marquis of Li), the craft is named the "Lihou Tiger." The Lihou Tiger is found mainly in the households of Lihou Town, Tinghepu Township, and Shangyao Town in Licheng County, Shanxi Province. Its principal mode of transmission is from mother to daughter among household women, and the patterns and color schemes of the tiger-shaped cloth craft often vary slightly according to each family's pattern-cutting habits. The origins of the Lihou Tiger can be traced back to the tiger-worship customs of the Shang and Zhou periods. Tiger-shaped objects excavated from a Western Zhou tomb in Xiguan Village, Licheng County, show that tiger-shaped artifacts once occupied an important place in local social life. Local folk tradition further links this tiger-shaped cloth craft with the ancient Marquis of Li (Lihou), holding that it was transmitted continuously from the Li state of the Western Zhou onward. Thereafter, through generations of women cutting patterns, sewing, and refreshing the designs, it finally took shape as a tiger-shaped cloth craft used to guard the house, to "tie up the baby" (a fertility charm), and to celebrate a baby's first month.
02 · Mastery & Signature Works
The bearer record for Li Xiaomei is anchored in the documented technical standards of Bulaohu in Licheng, Shanxi. Within the documented technical tradition of Bulaohu in Licheng, Shanxi: Artifacts excavated from the Western Zhou tomb in Xiguan Village, Licheng County, show that as early as the Shang and Zhou periods the people of Licheng already took the tiger as an object of worship, and that tiger-shaped artifacts occupied an important place in the social life of the time. The Lihou Tiger comes in large, medium, and small sizes. It is made by first sewing dyed cotton cloth into the shape of a tiger, then decorating it with appliqué, painted colors, and hanging tassels. Modeled with a high degree of simplification, the Lihou Tiger is vivid in form: head raised, standing upright, and awe-inspiring. It expresses, in a direct artistic way, the people's fine wishes to uphold the right and expel evil and to have all things go as they wish. The Lihou Tiger comes in large, medium, and small sizes. At New Year festivals, at a child's one-month celebration, and when moving into a new house, local people often give it as a gift or display it, meaning that it will guard the house against evil and bring all things as wished. The tiger body must be sewn with strict left-right symmetry; the ears, eyes, nose, and mouth are applied one after another; and painted colors and hanging tassels are added last, making the tiger form vivid and lifelike. Representative repertoire, works and technical entries recorded for the project include: "Shang-Zhou tiger figures and cult": Tiger figures unearthed from a Western Zhou tomb at Xiguan village show that people of Licheng already venerated the tiger, an older root of the cloth tiger. "Applique, painting and tassels": Made in several sizes, the tiger is sewn from dyed cotton cloth, then decorated with appliqué, painting and tassels. "A wish to ward off evil": Shaped in a highly abbreviated manner, the upright and imposing tiger embodies the people's wish to uphold good and brush away evil. "Where the name comes from": Taking its name from Licheng's old title of Marquis of Li, the cloth tiger is the richest of the local tiger forms in wood, stone, straw and paper.
Shang-Zhou tiger figures and cult
Tiger figures unearthed from a Western Zhou tomb at Xiguan village show that people of Licheng already venerated the tiger, an older root of the cloth tiger.
Applique, painting and tassels
Made in several sizes, the tiger is sewn from dyed cotton cloth, then decorated with appliqué, painting and tassels.
A wish to ward off evil
Shaped in a highly abbreviated manner, the upright and imposing tiger embodies the people's wish to uphold good and brush away evil.
Where the name comes from
Taking its name from Licheng's old title of Marquis of Li, the cloth tiger is the richest of the local tiger forms in wood, stone, straw and paper.
03 · Transmission & Safeguarding Status
In 2025, Li Xiaomei was announced in the sixth batch of national representative bearers for Bulaohu, with Licheng, Shanxi as the declared area. Within the documented safeguarding record of Bulaohu in Licheng, Shanxi: The project was inscribed in the national inventory in 2008 (batch 2), with Licheng, Shanxi as its declared area, and Licheng County People's Cultural Center as its safeguarding unit. Since the project was inscribed in the national inventory, its declared area and safeguarding unit have carried out documentation, transmission and presentation within the national safeguarding framework. Together, the inventory record and the project archive form the public documentary basis for the bearer’s transmission practice.
04 · Associated Heritage Item Dossier
Historical origin
The origins of the Lihou Tiger can be traced back to the tiger-worship customs of the Shang and Zhou periods. Tiger-shaped objects excavated from a Western Zhou tomb in Xiguan Village, Licheng County, show that tiger-shaped artifacts once occupied an important place in local social life. Local folk tradition further links this tiger-shaped cloth craft with the ancient Marquis of Li (Lihou), holding that it was transmitted continuously from the Li state of the Western Zhou onward. Thereafter, through generations of women cutting patterns, sewing, and refreshing the designs, it finally took shape as a tiger-shaped cloth craft used to guard the house, to "tie up the baby" (a fertility charm), and to celebrate a baby's first month.
05 · Fellow National Bearers Lineage
National representative bearers recorded under the same item code, ordered from the first to the sixth batch. Batch order is not a teacher–student relationship.
| Bearer | Declared area | Roster code | Relation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Li Xiaomei | Licheng, Shanxi | — | This page |
06 · Archival Sources & Bibliography
This static English edition is rendered at the edge for search engines, AI crawlers and readers without JavaScript. Compiled from official national representative bearer archival records and the associated project dossier, organized by topic and translated into English. 阅读中文版。