Overview
The tiger is one of Zhong Kui's most recognizable attributes in Chinese art. In the Gamescom 2025 trailer for Black Myth: Zhong Kui, Zhong Kui rides a massive tiger into a rain-drenched town. The tiger had strikingly detailed wet, matted fur, a showcase of Unreal Engine 5's rendering capabilities.
Tiger symbolism in Chinese culture
The tiger holds deep significance in Chinese cosmology. It is one of the Four Symbols (四象) of Chinese astrology: the White Tiger of the West (白虎, Baihu), alongside the Azure Dragon (East), Vermillion Bird (South), and Black Tortoise (North). The White Tiger represents autumn, the element of Metal, and is associated with valor and divine justice. In ancient mythology, it was considered the God of War.
The tiger's forehead stripes naturally form the character 王 (wang, "king"), which established it as the "king of beasts" in Chinese tradition. A parallel to the Western lion. The character 虎 (hu, tiger) is also phonetically close to 護 (hu, protect), creating meaningful wordplay. Pairing Zhong Kui with a tiger reinforces his authority: even the king of animals answers to the King of Ghosts.
Tigers in Chinese mythology have the specific power to devour evil spirits. The Taoist patriarch Zhang Daoling is depicted riding a tiger that crushes the Five Poisons (toad, snake, centipede, lizard, spider). Tiger images were pasted on doors as guardians, and children wore tiger shoes and tiger hats to repel evil spirits believed to cause childhood diseases.
In classical art
The image of Zhong Kui riding a tiger appears in Ming dynasty paintings and is a standard composition in Chinese art. Yang Qi has said his original dream that inspired the game featured "a strange man with a black face and a red beard" on a balcony holding a tiger, which he identified as matching these classical depictions.
Potential gameplay role
Whether the tiger functions as a rideable mount in gameplay, appears only in cutscenes, or has some other role is unknown. Black Myth: Wukong featured transformation abilities where the player could take the form of various creatures. The tiger could serve a similar purpose, or it could be a dedicated mount system.