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No Lions In China? Everywhere in China the images of lions abound. Pairs of carved stone or cast metal lions adorn every conceivable business, house, main thoroughfare, and side street. Even in the West these images are common. Yet, lions are not native to China. What are the origins of China's infatuation with a rarely seen animal from a far land? Early contact with western countries, such as Africa and West Asia, as early as the Eastern Han Dynasty may have introduced the lion to China as gifts to the court. The King of Parthia is recorded as having presented such a gift to Emperor Zhang in A.D. 87. The lion was quickly adopted as a symbol of power. Guardian lion statues, in China, are often seen in pairs--one female and one male. The male lion sits to the left of the female and their eyes are turned to gaze at the passage between them. The male lion's right front paw rests on a ball that represents the unity of the empire. The lioness' left paw fondles a cub symbolizing the thriving offspring. Stone balls, captive in their mouths, represent pearls of purity and perfection. Both lions offer stern but regal visages to those passing between them. Soon after the lion was enlisted as a symbol of the court's power they began to adorn the entries to the court official's houses. Although not limited to the court alone, lions with 13 curls in their mane originally guarded the houses of the highest ranking officials. Lower officials were allowed little ones with fewer curls down to a mane with only seven. Today, a pair of magnificent bronze lions guard the entrance to one of the palaces of the Forbidden City. Another prominent example is the Marco Polo Bridge near Beijing. At the top of its 501 stone balusters are lions of various sizes and postures. And near Zheng Zhou, at the infrequently visited but immaculately kept temple of Guan Gung, lions similarly adorn the post-heads along an inner-court path. The earliest lion sculptures in China may have been crafted, with the introduction of Buddhism into China, at the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220 A.D.). The Cangzhou Lion, cast in A.D. 953, stands 5.4 meters tall and weighs 50 metric tons. It is known to be the largest iron casting in the world. It depicts the bodhisattva Manjusri riding in a lotus flower mounted on the back of a swift lion. Sakyamuni (founder of the Buddhist faith), after his birth was seen "to point to Heaven with one hand and to Earth with another, roaring like a lion, 'Between Heaven and Earth I alone am supreme.'" Elsewhere it is also said "Buddha is a lion among men. Lord Ashoka used a triple stone lion to symbolize the three treasures. The original statue is kept at Sarnath where Buddha gave the wheel of law its first turn. The image of this statue was imprinted on the Indian rupee and remains there to this day. Second only to the dragon, the lion is considered a divine animal of nobility and dignity, able to fend off Evil and protect Truth. It is found guarding the entrances to palaces, homes, and sacred buildings. Today it extends its protection to business, restaurants, and banks. Perhaps, by coincidence long ago, Buddhism and the lion rode together into China from the west. But, by the synergy of that coincidence, the lion may have maintained its high standing and now guards homes and businesses across continents and cultures. Thinking of ancient flourishing glory, - Ji Ruiqi |