Terra Nova Los Angeles Asian Furniture Accents: Chinese Guardian Lions, AKA “Foo Dogs”

Terra Nova Los Angeles Asian Furniture Accents: Chinese Guardian Lions, AKA “Foo Dogs”

Many people who take pleasure in adding Asian accents to their home or office choose to add what are frequently called “Foo Dogs” to the setting. What those people do not know is that the term “Foo Dogs” is incorrect. The sculptures so named are in fact Chinese guardian lions. They are meant to present the emotion of the animal, rather than being a lifelike replication of the actual animal.

The Chinese stylization of the lion led Westerners to mistake the nature of the animal represented.  In the Chinese renditions, the eyes, claws and teeth of the lion symbolize its power. Traditionally, pairs of guardian lions stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces and other important homes, temples, tombs and other governmental buildings. They were set to protect the building from evil spirits.

The poses of a pair of guardian lions might be mistaken as mirror poses at first glance, but they are not. First, in a set of guardian lions, there is a male and a female lion, as representatives of yin and yang. Secondly, the placement of the lions is of importance: as one looks out the doorway of the building being guarded, the male lion should be placed to the left of the door while the female is situated on the right.

Pair of white stone Chinese guardian lions, also known as "foo dogs"

There is also significance in the traditional poses given to each of the lions. The male lion rests its right front paw on an embroidered ball, which can represent supremacy over the world. The female lion has her left front paw restraining a playful cub, to represent the power of nurture. The female protects those within the building, while the male guards the outside of the structure. The combination symbolizes the wholeness of life for those who will be within the building guarded.

Traditionally, the guardian lions were made of decorative stone, such as marble or granite, or of expensively cast metals such as bronze or iron. Because of this, they were very expensive, and so were found only in places of wealth. Modern materials have made them much easier to purchase for those of lesser income, making them even more popular for ordinary residences.

Pair of antique stone carved foo dogs, available at Terra Nova Asian Furniture Los Angeles

Guardian lions have been given a wide variety of appearances through the centuries, but the basic elements remain the same. The symbolic representation of a powerful protector continues to have aesthetic appeal. Selecting a pair of guardian lions (or “Foo Dogs”) becomes a matter of finding a pair that satisfies the owner.   If you are looking for Chinese guardian lions, or any other Asian furniture accents for your home, be sure to check out our website: http://www.terranovadesigns.com/statues-carved-figures-buddha-quan-yin.html  , or even better, visit our store at 2251 S Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064.  For more information about our store and to see what our customers have to say about us, take a look at our local Yelp website: http://www.yelp.com/biz/terra-nova-designs-los-angeles-2 .  We look forward to helping you find the perfect Asian accent piece for your home!