Flags of Touhou: Shou Toramaru

This is my design of a flag for Shou Toramaru, the stage 5 boss of Touhou 12: Undefined Fantastic Object. "Toramaru" translates to 'tiger circle' in English but 'maru' is also a suffix attached to the names of Japanese ships, fitting considering Shou spends much of her time on one.

1. Red (or in this case burgundy) represents passion. Yellow represents wealth, fitting because of Shou's ability to 'gather and attract treasures.' White represents purity and piety. Saffron (that color that looks a lot like orange) is a color that is worn by Buddhist monks. References to Buddhism are intended because Shou is a disciple of the god Bishamonten, the Japanese equivalent of Vaisravana, an important figure in Buddhist mythology.

2. Shou is also a tiger youkai, hence the fimbriated tiger stripe towards the hoist. If I remember correctly, some doujins about Shou depict her as a literal tiger until Byakuren Hijiri meets her.

3. The wheel is the wheel of dharma, probably the most recognized symbol to represent Buddhism. The eight spokes on the wheel represent the Buddha's Eightfold Path. Center spoke is white because I just happen to find that aesthetically pleasing.

4. The orange lotus surrounding the wheel is a widely-used symbol is most Asian cultures. Most gods are depicted in art standing or sitting upon a lotus. In stories, the Buddha causes lotuses to bloom wherever he walks. The lotus is also a symbol of detachment, a major belief in Buddhism. Shou wears a circlet that resembles a lotus upon her head.

Character profile on Touhou Wiki:
[link]