White Tiger (baekho)

 "Local legend has it that there are four guardian gods in Korea," Kim Sang-hoe, a prominent Korean fortune teller explained. "They are the chungryong (blue dragon), hyunmu (turtle-snake), jujak (phoenix) and baekho (white tiger). Unlike the other three creatures, who are fictional, the baekho is the one and only real animal. For that reason, white tigers have been highly respected. In addition, the chance of a white tiger being seen is one in a million, so people in the past saw white tigers as a good sign."

Regarded by many as the divine spirit that guards the West, people in Korea consider the white tiger as a sacred creature in local folklore.

 

A tiger that has overcome trials and tribulations and understands the world is known to turn white, becoming a white tiger. Although it is a sacred creature that doesn’t harm people, it becomes atrocious when the ruler of the country conducts evil and inhumane deeds. Therefore, it has been told that powerful people become humble and rich people become generous when a white tiger appears.

 

As such, in Korean history and culture, a tiger is regarded as a guardian that drives away evil spirit and a sacred creature that brings good luck – the symbol of courage and absolute power. The oldest historical record about the tiger can be found in the myth of Dangun, the legendary founding father of Gojoseon, told in the Samguk Yusa, or the Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms. According to the myth, a bear and a tiger wished to become human beings. The bear turned into a woman by observing the commandments to eat only mugwort and garlic for 100 days in the cave. But the tiger couldn’t endure the ordeal and ran off, failing to realize its wish. There are 635 historical records about tigers in the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty. The story of a tiger that began from a myth can be also found in daily life as well. For example, the 19th century painting named “Sansindo” depicts the guardian spirit of a mountain leaning against a tiger or riding on the back of the animal. The animal is also known to do the errands for the mountain’s guardian spirit which is known to wish for peace and the well-being of the village. So, the tiger was ordered by the spiritual guardian of the mountain to give protection and wish for peace in the village. People drew such paintings and hung them in the shrine built in the mountain of the village where memorial rituals were performed regularly. In Buddhism, there is also a shrine that keeps the painting of the guardian spirit of the mountain. It’s called “Sansintaenghwa”, depiction of the guardian spirit of the mountain and a tiger.

As it says above... “A tiger that has overcome trials and tribulations and understands the world is known to turn white, becoming a white tiger”... to add a bit... “A tiger that has overcome trials and tribulations and understands the world is known to turn white, becoming a white tiger. A white tiger that can fathom the future becomes the ARC TIGER!”  ;)

NOTE: If you look closely at the tiger illustration you’ll find that the stripes are all lightning bolts.

The ARC TIGERS are based on the translation of Kyuki-Do = Spark or Explosion, and connected with the symbol of the white tiger. Thus, ARC TIGERS! ([electric] Arc: A luminous bridge formed in a gap between two electrodes. Compare spark1 ( def. 2 ) .

http://www.scienceclarified.com/Di-El/Electric-Arc.html#b

The name was both indicative of the relatively modern evolution of Kyuki-Do and our contemporary way of teaching. It’s a new tiger, similar but unlike the old standard tigers of ancient Asian mythology. This  ARC TIGER is an electrical elemental, its power rooted in living lightning. Its new and cool, dude!!! =D   BUT, it also harkens back to the traditional connotations of the (white) tiger in Korean lore: