Just like with other lion artwork in Ancient China, lions were seen as guardians, and often came as pairs in front of buildings to ward off evil spirits. The one shown on the left likely has a counterpart for the building it was meant to protect. Lions also represent strength and energy. Lions were not originally found in China, so many depictions of them did not describe them as ferocious hunters like the tiger, but more like large protective dogs, hence why the one shown may look similar to some breeds of dogs.

Pairs of lion statues symbolize happiness and a desire for success, and most often have a male and female lion both guarding a building. The number of coils on a lion’s mane also signified the seniority and importance of the individual who lived in that building: the more coils, the more important that person was. The lion to the left does not appear to have many coils in its mane, so the person was likely a middle or even lower class citizen. Even though the lion is not lying down instead of standing or sitting upright, its expression still gives off a sense of security and aggression that will scare away evil spirits, as if it were growling.

From the collection of: The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Made by Connor Chen