TAIWANESE MAN CREATES SCULPTURE SMALLER THAN A GRAIN OF RICE

A TAIWANESE MAN HAS TAMED THE TIGER, SHRINKING THE CHINESE ZODIAC ANIMAL INTO A SCULPTURE SMALLER THAN A GRAIN OF RICE THAT'S FULLY VISIBLE ONLY THROUGH A MAGNIFYING GLASS. CHEN FORNG-SHEAN, WHO HAS BEEN SCULPTING AS A HOBBY FOR SOME 30 YEARS, CARVED FROM RESIN WHAT HE CALLS THE WORLD'S TINIEST TIGER AT 1 MILLIMETER HIGH AND JUST OVER A MILLIMETER LONG AHEAD OF THE CHINESE LUNAR YEAR OF THE TIGER WHICH STARTS 14.FEBRUARY. BUT CHEN SAID THE BRIGHTLY COLOURED BEAST NEARLY GOT THE BEST OF HIM OVER TEN ATTEMPTS TO CREATE IT. 'IF THE HANDS SHAKE A LITTLE BIT, THE WORK WOULD JUMP AWAY AND DISAPPEAR', CHEN SAID, A MINTING PLATE DESIGNER BY TRADE. THE SINGLE ANIMAL, CREATED AFTER THREE MONTHS OF INTENSIVE LABOR, WAS FINISHED IN NOVEMBER AND CHEN SAID IT WAS WORTH $94,200, ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT FOR SALE. TIGERS, WHICH ROTATE WITH 11 OTHER ANIMALS ON THE CHINESE LUNAR YEAR ZODIAC, BRING VARIABLE LUCK, BEING DEPENDABLE AND UNPREDICTABLE AT THE SAME TIME. CHEN SAID HE HAS ALREADY FELT THE SUSPENSE THE NEW YEAR IS LIKELY TO BRING.