What Are Lion Statues In Chinese Art

One of the first appearances of lion statues in China dates back to the early Han Dynasty. Asiatic lions were very common in historical art and can even be seen in modern day China. The concept of the lion statue was fist introduced to Han China as the protecter of daharma, and was seen mostly in religious art. Often times, the lions were constructed as imperial tributes, and set up to protect the wealthy and the land they managed. Seen as regal beasts, strong and courageous, they were made to stand at the emperor’s gate to ward off evil. Around the 1000s, they were often times made out of marble, copper, or cast iron. Oftentimes, lion statues depicted the bodhisttva, or Buddhist diety of wisdom, Wenshu, on its back, symbolizing strength and the protection of Buddhist law. The craftsman that created this brilliant work of art was really focused on creating something beautiful, and something that had elegant flow, while still trying to keep it as simplistic as possible. The lion head itself was made out of cast iron, obviously taking on …show more content…
When you look at the piece, you get a strong sense of what the lion stood for in their religion and in their culture. You get a sense of pride, and, in a way, the sculpture is just radiating with a feeling of strength and courage. You also get a feeling that can remind you peace, a protecting vibe, and that very well might have been one of the same feelings the artist had intended on capturing when creating the piece. With his mind set, the artist could have very well been working for a wealthy upper-class member, creating the massive beast to stand guard outside of the gates to their home, warding off evil and homaging the wisdom and strength of Wenshu