As We Usher in the Chinese Year of the Tiger, 5 London Places to Spot One

The Chinese Year of the Tiger begins on 1 February. While London’s Chinese New Year celebrations have been scaled back this year, as a result of the pandemic, The Londonist website marks the occasion with some of the capital’s best loved tigers, real and in visual form. Here are our top five:

Crouching tiger

See Henri Rousseau’s original painting Surprised! In the National Gallery. The iconic work is one of the artist’s most popular and shows a tiger crouching in thick jungle foliage. You can also see the painting reproduced on the Bakerloo line platform at Charing Cross Station.

In the flesh

London Zoo is the only place in central London where you can see these majestic animals in the flesh. The zoo is part of an international effort to increase numbers of endangered Sumatran tigers, of which only around 300 remaining the wild.

Tipu’s Tiger

One of the most popular representations of tigers in London is Tipu’s Tiger at the V&A. This life-sized automaton and pipe organ depicts a soldier being savaged by a tiger. It was created for Tipu Sultan who ruled the Kingdom of Mysore in southern India in the 18th century.

Tyger, Tyger on the wall

Street art tigers have graced the sides of many buildings in the capital over the years. Head to Finsbury to see a mural tribute to The Tyger, one of William Blake’s best-known poems.

… and after dark

Not a tiger as such but a huge feature of West End night life, the Tiger Tiger club on Haymarket has been going strong for more than 20 years.

As to new year celebrations, the capital’s Chinese community leaders have decided not to organise the usual display of spectacular processions and stage performances this year – the biggest celebration outside Asia. In a muted event, Chinese lion dances and a night market will be held in Chinatown’s Newport Place along with video screens showing pre-recorded performances.

Read more in the Evening Standard.