Some Slightly Different Guardian Lions
These guardian lions are somewhat different from the run-of-the-mill stone lion found in China. They include lions outside a Tibetan temple, some whimsical-looking lions from Hue, Vietnam, and a Ming-dynasty lion.
Sichuan
These lions outside a Tibetan temple on the way to Jiuzhaigou,
Sichuan province, appear to be made of wood and are painted. The male and female are clearly distinguished in the conventional manner, with the male holding down a ball and the female holding down a cub.
Female
Male
Hue, Vietnam
Two rather idiosyncratic stone lions in Hue,
Vietnam. The lions were on top of gateposts at the entrance of a well-to-do residence.
Female
Male
Qionghai, Hainan
This Ming dynasty stone lion once stood outside the ancient Daoist temple
in Lecheng, Qionghai, Hainan. This is the sole survivor of the pair. Ming
dynasty lions are quite different from later lions because (1) they don't
look like lions, (2) they don't look ferocious, and (3) there is no differentiation
into male and female lions. To my regret, I failed to photograph a fine
pair of Ming lions, looking somewhat similar to this one, at Zumiao
in Foshan, Guangdong Province.
The current lions outside the temple can be found at Stone Lions in Hainan (2)
Guardian Lions in Zumiao, Foshan
Guardian Lions in Wuhouci (Chengdu)
A Couple of Guardian Lions Shot in Chengdu & Shenzhen
Guardian Lions in Hainan (1) Haikou and Sanya
Guardian Lions in Hainan (2) Qionghai and Haikou
Guardian Lions in Hainan (3) Haikou
Some Slightly Different Guardian Lions Tibetan, Vietnamese, Ming
Some Western-influenced Guardian Lions in ChinaLinks to sites about guardian lions on the Internet.
