Legends tell stories of Shaolin monks training to successfully complete 108 challenges thus achieving a level of mastery. 

 

The myth is that once they successfully completed those challenges, they would find an urn full of red hot coals blocking their exit from the monastery. They would use their forearms to lift this urn out of their way which would brand a tiger and a dragon on their arms. The tiger would signify the physical accomplishments that brought them to this point, while the dragon would symbolize the mental, emotional, spiritual development, and fortitude necessary for mastery to become a reality.

 

During the founding years of the American Institute of Kenpo, Ed Parker Jr. was commissioned to create the Black Belt Urn artwork to symbolize the effort a person has to put into achieving a black belt.