Chinese guardian lamb or Imperial Imperial lion , often spelled "Dog Foo" in the West, is a common representation of lions in imperial China. Chinese guard lions are sometimes referred to in English as shishi , from Chinese sha sh? (Chinese: ?? ; pinyin: shÃÆ'sh? ; literally: "stone lion"), which refers specifically to the lion statue in stone. The concept, which originated and became popular in Chinese Buddhism, then spread to other parts of Asia including, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia and Laos.
Video Chinese guardian lions
Description
Since the introduction of lion symbolism from Indian culture primarily through Buddhist symbolism, guardian lion statues have traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and houses of government officials and wealthy, from Han dynasties (206 BC - 220 AD), and is believed to have strong mythological protection benefits. They are also used in other artistic contexts, for example on door-knockers, and in pottery. The pair of protective lion statues is still a common decorative element and symbol at the entrance of restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other buildings, with one sitting on each side of the entrance, in China and elsewhere around the world where the Chinese have immigrated and settled, especially in local Chinatown.
Lions are usually described in pairs. When used as a statue, the couple will consist of a man who is leaning his legs over embroidered balls (in the context of the empire, representing the supremacy of the world) and a woman holding a cheerful child on his back (representing parenting).
Maps Chinese guardian lions
Etymology
The guard lions are called in various ways depending on the language and context. In Chinese they are traditionally called only shi (?, Pinyin: sh?) Which means lion - the word shi itself is thought to be derived from the Persian word ? er . The lions were first presented to Han's palace by envoys from Central Asia and Persia, and by the sixth century M they were popularly described as guard figures. Today guard lions are usually more determined by reference to media or material, for example:
- The lion stone (??, Pinyin: ShÃÆ'sh?): for the stone sculpture; or
- Bronze lion (??, Pinyin: TÃÆ'³ngsh?): for a bronze statue.
and less often:
- Profitable Lion (??, Pinyin: RuÃÆ'¬sh?): refers to Tibetan Snow Lion or good luck
- Friendly Lion (??, Pinyin: fÃÆ'ºsh?): refers to good luck
- Buddhist or Buddhist (??, Pinyin: fÃÆ'³sh?): refers to the religious context to the lion as the protector of the Buddha
In other Asian cultures
- In Japan: the lion figure is known as Shishi (??, lion) or Komainu (??, the lion dog)
- In Korea: known as Haetae
- In Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia: known as Chinthe and named them to the Chindit World War II soldiers
- In Okinawa, Japan: known as Shisa
- In Sri Lanka: known as Simha (????????)
- In Thailand: known as Singha
- In Tibet, China: known as Snow Lion
- In Vietnam: known as S? t? ? ÃÆ'¡
Western Name
In English and several Western languages, guard lions are often referred to by many names such as: "Fu Dog", "Dog Foo", "Fu Lions", "Fo Lions", and "Lion Dogs". The terms " Fo " or " Fu " may be transliteration of words? (pinyin: fÃÆ'³) or? (pinyin: fÃÆ'º), which means "Buddha" or "prosperity" in Chinese. However, Chinese references to protective lions are rarely preceded by? or ?, and more importantly never called a "dog".
References to the guardian lions as dogs in Western culture may be due to Japanese references to them as "Korean dogs" (??? Due) due to their transmission from China via Korea to Japan. It may also be due to misidentification of lion guard figures as representing certain Chinese dog breeds such as Chow Chow (???, Pinyin: s? Ngsh? Qu? N, lit. "swollen-lion dog") or Peking (???; Pinyin: Sh? Zi G? U, lit. "lion dog").
Appearance
Lions are traditionally carved from ornamental stones, such as marble and granite or cast bronze or iron. Due to the high cost of these materials and the labor required to produce them, the private use of guardian lions is traditionally reserved for wealthy or elite families. Indeed, the traditional symbol of family wealth or social status is the placement of guardian lions in front of the family home. However, in modern times cheaper lions, mass produced in concrete and resins, have become available and their use is therefore no longer confined to the elite.
Lions are always served in pairs, manifestations of yin and yang, women representing yin and men who. Male males have right front legs on a type of fabric ball called "embroidered ball" (xiÃÆ'¹ qiÃÆ'º, ??), which is sometimes engraved with geometric patterns. Females are essentially identical, but have children under the feet that are closer (left) to men, representing the life cycle. Symbolically, the lioness protects those who live within (the living soul within), while the male maintains the structure (external material element). Sometimes women cover their mouths, and men are open. It symbolizes the word "om". However, the Japanese adaptation states that men inhale, represent life, while women breathe out, representing death. Another style has two lions with one big pearl in each of their partially open mouths. Pearls are carved so that they can roll around in the lion's mouth but are large enough to never be removed.
According to feng shui, correct lion placement is important to ensure its beneficial effects. When looking out of the building through the entrance to be guarded, looking in the same direction as the lion, the man is placed on the left and the woman on the right. So when you see the entrance from outside the building, facing the lion, the male lion with the ball is on the right, and the woman with the boy is on the left.
The Chinese lion is meant to reflect animal emotions as opposed to the reality of lions. This is contrary to a traditional British lion which is a living animal portrayal. Chinese claws, teeth and lions' eyes represent strength. Little if any muscle is seen in Chinese lions while the English lion shows its power through life-like characteristics rather than through a stylish representation.
History
The Asiatic lions have been very common throughout their historical ranges in the Southwest, South and Central Asia and are believed to be described by guardian lions in Chinese culture. In India, where the Asian lion is also alive, it is known by the ancient Sanskrit name "Sinh" or "Simha" (????) and because the Buddhist monk journey many East Asian languages ​​have borrowed from this Sanskrit word for lions. Since ancient times, lion statues decorate palaces and temples and other important buildings in India and in Buddhist lion culture are portrayed as Dharma protectors. In Hindu lions are associated with gods and goddesses.
With increased trade during the Han dynasty and cultural exchanges through the Silk Road, the lions were introduced to China from the ancient countries of Central Asia by the Sogdians, Samarkand, and Yuezhi (??) in the form of feathers and direct reverence, along with the stories about them from Buddhist priests and travelers at the time. This exchange can be seen that the Chinese word for lion is "Shi" (?, Later?/?), Which shares the same etymological roots with "Shiar" (???)/? Er , the Persian name for the animal.
Some examples of lions as imperial tributes from Central Asia are recorded in the document The later Han Book (???) written from 25-220 CE. On one particular occasion, in the 11th month of the 87th month, "... a messenger from the Parthian offers as a tribute to lions and ostriches" to the Han castle. Indeed, the lion was associated by Han Chinese with a glorified creature from ancient China, especially by Huilin monks (??) stating that "the mythical suan-ni (??) is actually a lion, originally from the Western Region" (??? ???, ???).
The Buddhist version of the Lion was originally introduced to Han Chinese as a dharma protector and these lions have been found in religious art as early as 208 BC. Gradually they were incorporated as Chinese Imperial dharm guards. The lion looked like a great beast to guard the emperor's gate and has been used ever since. There are various styles of guardian lions that reflect the influence of different time periods, imperial dynasties, and Chinese territories. This style varies in artistic detail and their jewelry as well as in the lion portrayal from fierce to serene.
Although the shape of Chinese guardian lions varied considerably during early Chinese history, the appearance, poses, and accessories of lions eventually became standardized and formalized during the Ming and Qing dynasties becoming more or less present in shape.
Gallery
Literary reference
- In the novel "White Magic" by Albert E. Cowdrey ( Fantasy Magazine & Science Fiction , March 1998), the protagonist has a "foo" lion/dog that serves as "familier" and come alive, if necessary, to protect him and his neighbors.
- In a comic spin-off plan based on Disney's animated TV series, "timedancing", the Brooklyn gargoyle receives a green-skinned gargoyle animal dubbed "fu-dog" from the Western name of the protective lion statue.
- The stone lions in the famous tongue:? ? ? ,? ? ? ,? ? ? ? ? ,? ? ? ? ? ,? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??
(pinyin :) sÃÆ'¬ shÃÆ'¬sÃÆ'¬, shÃÆ' shÃÆ'¬ shÃÆ', shÃÆ' ¢ à ¢ â,¬Â ¢ à ¢ â,¬Â ¢ à ¢ â,¬Â ¢ à ¢ â,¬Â ¢ à ¢ â, " ÃÆ'  ¢ ÃÆ'? sha sh? za ¬ sha ¬ s? de. (4 is 4, 10 is 10, 14 is 14, 40 is 40, 44 stone lion is dead.)
- In the series of Dresden Files by Jim Butcher, Harry Dresden's protagonist has a "Tibetan Temple Dog", often also referred to as Dog Foo or Roh Foo. Named the "Rat", it is described as an enormous mastiff-like dog with human-level intelligence, immense resilience and strength, and the ability to see and attack spirits and non-physical beings.
- In Richard Russo's Nobody's Fool novel, Miss Beryl Peoples has a two-headed "foo" dog that she bought on the way to the East. Miss Beryl claimed it was 9s called the dog "foo" because the dog said, "Foo on you!" when he disapproves of one's actions.
See also
- Komainu to compare its use in Japanese culture
- Qilin, another mystical creature in Chinese culture
- Sphinx
- Similar Chinthe lion statues in Burma, Laos, and Cambodia
- Shish lion statues are similar in the Ryukyu Islands
- Nian to compare with a similar but unicorn (unicorn) mythical beast
- Pixiu to compare with the same but winged mythical animals
- Haetae compares with a similar lion-like statue in Korea.
- Dog Foo, a Chinese dog breed that resembles a "Chinese guard lion" and is therefore also called Lion Dog.
- The Asian lion found in nearby India is depicted in Chinese culture.
- Piraeus Lion
- Tibetan Snow Lion
- Traditional Chinese Lion (Indianapolis Zoo)
- The Medici Lion
- Lion dancing, another use of lion imaging in costume and motion.
- Chinese culture
- Chinese Mythology
- The Chinese Dragon
- The god of the door
References
External links
- Dog Foo in Tattoo Art. Design Meaning and Idea.
- Blog about the adventure of Dog Foo sculptures all over the United States.
- Netsuke: the work of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the exhibition catalog of the Metropolitan Art Museum (available online entirely as PDF), which contains many representations of Chinese guardian lions
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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