Shíshī in China or komainu in Japan, chinese guardian lions ( often called Fu-dogs in Occident) as a element of far-eastern culture always fascinated me by on one hand the meaning of this imporant symbol and on the other by this exoctic interpretation of the prinicpal of believes in far-eastern countries as an equivalent of religious folklore just as the virgin or a crucifix in christianity, star of David or mezuzah in judaism or a hand of Fathma in islam.
In Shanghai I have found a very beautiful example of the picturing the pair of these guardian lions – inspiring:
