Culture Insider: How to raise your own tea pets

Meanings of different tea pets

A three-leg toad tea pet. [Photo/Official Weibo of the movie Tea Pets]

Pi Xiu

Tea pets in the form of pi xiu - a mythical animal akin to a Chinese unicorn - are very popular among businessmen. In traditional Chinese culture, pi xiu, the ninth son of a dragon, can bring fortune to people. It only takes money as food and never lets it out. Moreover, it is believed that pi xiu can protect a house from evil spirits.

Three-leg toad

Another popular tea pet is toad. The tea pet toad is not like the ones that live in a pond, but are mythical creatures with only three legs. In Chinese myths, three legged toads spit money from their mouth and help the poor. Thus, it has been considered an auspicious animal for a long time in Chinese culture. What's more, if a person is a fan of Harry Potter series, this little toad might be a good reminder of Hogwarts and magic.