Fu Lion

Also known as fu dogs, foo dogs, lions of fu, or Buddhistic or Buddhist lions, fu lions were originally guardians of the Buddha and admired for their superhuman strength, valor, energy, and as protectors and mounts for religious beings. When Buddhism arrived in China along the Silk Road, lions were protective symbols for Shakyamuni-Buddha, the historical Buddha, and over time became a symbol of the Buddha, Buddhism and the Dharma (Buddhist teachings). Lions shares many traits with the Buddha. The Buddha had the stately gate of a king-lion. His sermons were compared to a lion’s roar which came to represent the wide spread of Buddhist law, the dharma. Buddha Shakyasimha means “lion of the Shakya clan” referring to his father, the king of the Shakya clan. Pairs of male and female stone fu-lions have been placed in front of imperial palaces, tombs, religious structures, government offices and residences of the rich for protection since the Han Dynasty. The male is placed on the east representing yang (male energy) and the female on the west symbolizing yin (female energy). Lions were not native to China, so artisans had to envision how to portray them and created a blend of the Indian lion and the Chinese Pekingese dogs who had “prominent eyes, short noses, and wispy, cloud-like stands of hair floating from their chins, the backs of their forelegs and their heels…” (Elise Mitchell) and that exhibit courage and a fierce temperament. Generally depicted in pairs of male and female, the male’s paw on a ball represents the jewel of the law, the moon pearl symbolizing blessings and the sun while the female’s paw on her pup symbolize protection. The male protects architectural structures, and the female the contents and inhabitants. Sometimes the male is open mouthed and the female close mouthed and a pair’s open mouths means they are silently emitting the blessed mantra “aum” (Mitchell) and Williams says a pair of lions playing with a ball also has that propitious wish. (p. 254) Sometimes they were pairs of males playing with a ball or smaller lone males are a wish for good fortune.

Sources:
Elsie P. Mitchell, The Lion-Dog of Buddhist Asia, Fugaisia, New York, 1991.
Williams, C.A.S.,Chinese Symbolism and Art Motifs, Edison, Castle Books, N.D.