In a mountain village in Northeast China, I found a huge, gleaming golden cat.
I thought it was just a clingy golden-shaded cat,
but he looked up at me coldly and said, “I’m the Tiger Lord, not a cat.”
The whole village thinks I picked up a big, dumb cat to raise,
but only I know the truth:
Huang Sangu greets him with a bow, Hui San is eager to be his informant, and Liu Xian comes over to pay his respects.
Every immortal within ten miles has to show him some deference.
I deliver babies, treat livestock, avert disasters, and build up merit,
while he’s aloof, stubborn, fiercely protective, and eats nothing but pork ribs.
Other people pray to immortals and gods. My Tiger Lord squats on the kang,
complaining that it’s a hassle but protecting me every time,
with so few words that his only compliment is, “You’re not bad.”
Only later did I realize
that I hadn’t just found a tiger.
I’d found the whole village’s guardian deity and my very own powerful backer.
[Easygoing daily life + Northeastern flavor + immortal neighbors + a stubborn but softhearted Tiger Lord + the warmth of everyday life]
I pick up a cat every day and become a god along the way.
