A Bronze Pho Dog Figurine

The Representation of the Foo Dog is Typical of How the Lion Was Viewed in Pre-Modern China. � the Animal Was Believed to Have Powerful Mythic Protective Properties. Their Appearance in Buddhist Religious Art in China is Found as Early as 208 B. C. , Where It Was Believed the Foo Lion Was a Protector of the Dharma, or Buddhist Teachings. Oddly, Considering Their Appearance in Chinese Art, Lions are Not Indigenous to China. However, They Were Once Quite Common in Neighboring India. as Buddhism Was Spread in China by Traveling Buddhist Priests and Monks From India, They Brought with Them Stories About Stone Lions Guarding the Entries to Temples, Monasteries, and the Palaces of Kings. It is Believed by Scholars That the Depiction of the Foo Dog Came About Because Chinese Sculptors Modeled Lion Statues After Native Dogs.

• Material: Brass
• Height: 5.9 inchesApprox.
• Width: 6 inches Approx.
• Length: 1.57 inches Approx.
• As It Appears