2. White Tiger ( Chn : Baihu ) The Guardians of the west = West , Fall , White
White Tiger is associated with the element Metal

Says Donald Mackenzie: " The White Tiger of the West, for instance, is associated with metal "
When, therefore, metal is placed in a grave, a ceremonial connection with the tiger god is effected.
According to the Chinese Annals of Wu and Yueh, three days after the burial of the king,
the essence of the element metal assumed the shape of a white tiger and crouched down on
the top of the grave. Here the tiger is a protector - a preserver. As we have seen, white jade was used
when the Tiger god of the West was worshipped; it is known as 'tiger jade;' a tiger was depicted on the jade symbol

To the Chinese the tiger was the king of all animals and lord of the mountains, and the tiger-jade ornament
was specially reserved for commanders of armies. The male tiger was, among other things, the god of war,
and in this capacity it not only assisted the armies of the emperors, but fought the demons that threatened the dead in their graves

HISTORICAL NOTES
At the heart of Chinese mythology are four spiritual creatures (Sì Shòu )
The Han Dynasty Chinese cosmologists distinguished Four Creatures of the World
and since then have become deeply rooted in Chinese mythology.
These animals are the Green Dragon, White Tiger, Phoenix , Tortoise & Snakeskin

Each creature represents one of the four world directions, seasons, and "elements".
Sometimes there are five animals because every once in a while
the snake will be depicted with the Black Tortoise.
(The Phoenix- S , The Green Dragon- E , The Tortoise- N , The White Tiger- W)