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Chinese guardian lions, or imperial guardian lions, are a traditional Chinese architectural ornament. Typically made of stone , they are also known as stone lions or shishi ( 石獅 ; shíshī ). They are known in colloquial English as lion dogs or foo dogs / fu dogs .
The Komainu strongly resemble Chinese guardian lions and in fact originate from Tang dynasty China. [10] The Chinese guardian lions are believed to have been influenced by Asiatic lion pelts and lion depictions introduced through trade from either the Middle East or India, countries where the lion existed and was a symbol of strength. [11]
Shisa (Japanese: シーサー, Hepburn: shīsā, Okinawan: シーサー, romanized: shiisaa) is a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions, often seen in similar pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils.
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Chinese guardian lions, traditional architectural ornaments. Guardian lions in Beijing. Chinese dragon; Chinese dragon from around the 17th century. Chituma, steed of General Lü Bu. Chiwen, a dragon that protects against fires, floods, and typhoons. Crane in Chinese mythology
Lions themselves, however, are not native to China, yet appear in the art of China and the Chinese people believe that lions protect humans from evil spirits, hence the Chinese New Year lion dance to scare away demons and ghosts. Chinese guardian lions are frequently used in sculpture in traditional Chinese architecture.
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Chinese guardian lions → Shishi; Shishi → – This already has a name in Chinese, meaning "stone lion", so why give it a very generic English name instead like "Chinese guardian lions"? While Tóngshī is also used for bronze versions, clearly the stone versions are most well known.