Meet our new mascot: Hu Ye 虎爺, or Tiger God, illustrated by friend of Yun Hai and Taiwanese artist Emilie Liu.

As the protector and mount of the Earth God 土地公 or the City God 城隍爺, Hu Ye is revered for warding off evil, protecting children from illness, and bringing in wealth. Despite this lofty role, Hu Ye’s depiction in Taiwanese temples is typically adorable. Sculptors used domestic cats as references because there were no native tigers in Taiwan.

Following in this cute tradition, Emilie reimagines Hu Ye in his “off duty” form, relaxed into a playful posture. As Emilie points out, “it must be exhausting to work as a sacred beast with a solemn expression in a temple at all times.”

His pose on the back of this T-shirt evokes the maneki-neko, or the “beckoning cat” that symbolizes good fortune and prosperity. Though it originated in Japan, maneki-neko can be found in storefronts all over Taiwan, welcoming customers inside with a friendly swing of its paw.

To match Hu Ye’s cheerful demeanor, the front of this shirt features our new shop slogan, our cheeky spin on a Taiwanese colloquial expression: “什麼都有，什麼都賣，都不奇怪，天天都在.” We have everything, we sell everything, nothing's too weird, we're here every day.

• Illustration by Emilie Liu.
  
• Design by Emilie Liu and Lisa Cheng Smith.
  
• Printed on a Comfort Colors Heavyweight Cotton Tee.
  
• Silkscreened by Works in Progress, who operate nonprofit educational programs and internships for teens in NYC.
  
• This shirt also comes in Beige.

Artist Statement

“When I began creating a new store mascot for Yun-Hai’s grand reopening, I searched for a uniquely Taiwanese character, one that could serve as a Taiwanese version of the Maneki-neko. That’s when Hu Ye (虎爺), the Tiger God, came to mind.

In Taiwan, Hu Ye is often the last god worshipped in temples. According to folklore, he became a sacred protector after being tamed and turned into the mount of the Earth God (土地公) or City God (城隍爺). Born in the Year of the Tiger, and having grown up with a beloved stuffed tiger, I felt an immediate connection when I encountered Hu Ye at Taipei Songshan Ciyou Temple (台北松山慈祐宮).

The most fascinating discovery I made during my research was about Hu Ye's original appearance: since there were no native tigers in Taiwan during the 17th century, the original sculptors carved the wooden figures based on domestic cats. This explains why the Tiger God is typically small, rounded, and incredibly adorable! Traditionally, Hu Ye brings wealth, wards off evil, and protects children from illness.

This series begins with the most common Yellow Hu Ye, symbolizing protection, wealth, and health. The works expand into different colors inspired by the Chinese Five Elements, each carrying its own energy. In these pieces, Hu Ye reveals a playful, almost human side, roaming freely through the Ocean of Clouds (雲海 Yun Hai).”

–Emilie Liu

Stop by our New York store to see the rest of the Hu Ye portrait series on display. They expand into other colors inspired by the Chinese Five Elements, each of which carries its own energy. In these works, Hu Ye reveals a playful, almost human side as he roams through seas of clouds (aka Yun Hai 雲海).

About Emilie Liu

Emilie Liu is a Taiwanese painter and digital artist who works with both analog and digital media. Born and raised in Taipei, she has been based in New York since 2010.

Her objectives are to capture the emotions she has experienced while living in a diverse and dynamic city, while her color palette is influenced by the exuberant natural landscapes of Northern California, where she briefly resided. Emilie Liu has spent over a decade working in the design industry.

When she welcomed her dog Jupiter into her home four years ago, he inspired Emilie to seek a louder artistic voice. Most of her early work captures Jupiter’s lively micro-expressions. Jupiter’s positive energy radiates through Emilie’s brush strokes, applied in such a way as to achieve human scale. Other portraits capture canine companions belonging to strangers whose vibrant presences and quirks left an impression on Emilie that compelled her to document them on canvas.

The culminating works of this series are Emilie’s personalities made manifest. These portraits are projections of Liu’s emotions and reflections from her daily experiences. Energetic and unexpected, Emilie’s work evokes a sense of wit and play.

Specifications

Shirt by Comfort Colors
See sizing here
Silkscreened by Works in Progress

100% ringspun cotton, 6.1 oz. heavyweight
Pre-shrunk, soft-washed, and garment-dyed

Features:
1” ribbed collar with double-needle topstitched neckline
Double-needle stitched sleeves and bottom hem
Twill taped shoulder-to-shoulder
Set-in sleeves

Care Instructions

Wash in cold water only and hang dry for best results. Though the garment is pre-shrunk, additional shrinkage may occur in the wash