Gai Chon
Fighting Rooster
A fighting rooster with a flaming comb, a raised claw and lavish tail feathers, beneath five spires and within an arc of Khom script.
✦Meaning & Background
The rooster stands in profile with a gracefully arched neck, a comb that curls upwards like flames, a scaled breast and one leg raised for the fight. Its long tail feathers fan out downwards, while five spires stand at the top, the middle one above a square frame holding a letter. In Thai culture the fighting rooster is admired for its courage, fighting spirit and perseverance.
✦More about this design
Birds on the site are usually mythical: the graceful Hong birds stand for love and harmony, and the Garuda is the divine eagle of Vishnu. This rooster comes straight from the farmyard. It is a fighting rooster, gai chon in Thai, drawn with the same ornate Thai lines as the mythical birds, but with the stance of an animal ready for the fight. In Thai culture the fighting rooster is admired for its courage and fighting spirit: it faces the confrontation and keeps going to the end. That is why it suits anyone working towards a goal who does not give up easily. Above the rooster stand five spires, the middle one rising from a square frame with a letter, and below it an arc of Khom script curves around its tail feathers. If you are looking for the same fighting spirit in a larger animal, take a look at the leaping tiger. The design is slightly taller than it is wide and sits well on the shoulder blade, the upper back or the upper arm. Browse all Sak Yant designs, read about all Sak Yant symbols or book an appointment.
✦Frequently asked questions
What does gai chon mean?
Gai chon is Thai for fighting rooster. In Thai culture this rooster is admired for its courage, fighting spirit and perseverance.
How is this different from the Hong birds?
The Hong is a mythical bird that stands for love and harmony and is usually drawn in pairs. This fighting rooster stands alone, claw raised, and is about courage and perseverance.
Where is this design usually placed?
On the shoulder blade, the upper back or the upper arm, where the spires at the top and the arc of script at the bottom show well.
