The tiger plays a variety of roles in Chinese omenology and religion, affecting the way ruling officials, the gods, and the larger society perceive and negotiate fate, as well as each others' actions. The most savage beast the Chinese could expect to meet, the tiger's terrifying aspect often led them to interpret its appearance as an evil omen, or as a signal of bad government. Others would interpret a tiger's behavior towards humans as heaven's just punishment, making the animal itself a symbol of justice, or righteousness. Occasionally, officials perceived attacks against tigers as interference with a smoothly functioning universe, and some, engaging in grand wish fulfillment, saw the tiger as benevolent or as an agent of their own destiny.