Guardian lions are  Stone Lions carved out of stones. Allso called Fu Dogs or Foo Dogs, and called Shi (獅) in Chinese or Ra shi da, Guardian lions  are powerful mythic protectors that have traditionally stood in front of Chinese imperial palaces, emperors' tombs and government offices. 

 

Since the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), imperial guardian lions were placed at the entrances to important official buildings and gates, until the end of the empire in 1911. Today, Guardian lions are the common ornament in Chinese traditional architecture. They are common popularized as decorative and symbolic elements at the entrances to restaurants, hotels, and other structures.

 

To the intruder's right will be the male lion, with his right paw on a globe, representing his "feeling the pulse of the earth". To the intruder's left will be the female, essentially identical in appearance, but playing with her single cub with her left paw. The male of the pair is said to guard the structure, while the female fu dog protects those dwelling inside.

 

The lion is not indigenous to China. The mythic version of the animal was originally introduced to Han China as the Buddhist protector of dharma. Gradually they were transformed into guardians of the Imperial dharma and some Qing realizations of them came to look more like the dogs of Fo. (Compare the Pekingese breed.) These beasts have been found in art as early as 208 BC. In the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), the ruling Manchu derived their name from the Manjushri Buddha, who rides on a lion.

 

The beast is sometimes associated with feng shui or Buddhism. Fu means 'happiness' in Chinese. In China, they are known as Rui Shi (瑞獅).  

Generally, guardian lions refer to the paired lions out side the gate; however, their appearances are not the lions we are familiar with. Maybe most people in the central plains of ancient China had never seen a real lion. It is said lions were introduced into China in the Han Dynasty from the Western Region.In Chinese culture, lion is a mythical figure rather than a real animal. Lion is regarded as the divine beast. Chinese people think that lions can drive away the evil spirits. Generally it should be a pair of lions according to Chinese traditional culture.The female lion is usually carved to have a child lion between its paws，while the male lion is playing a ball with one paw.
 

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