How this custom is formed, when it originated?
Lions, in zoology, belongs to the mammalian family of cats. Its male body shape is robust, head large face, neck with iguana hair, posture is very powerful. Its origin is not in China but in Africa, India, South America and other places. When Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty, Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions, opened up the communication between China and the Western countries, the lion was able to enter China. Hou Han Shu - Western Region Biography: "Zhangdi Zhang and the first year (87 AD), (Sabbath country) sent an envoy to offer the division (lion) son, Fu Biao." It is said that the kingdom of Anshi (equivalent to present-day Iran), which was far away in West Asia, sent ambassadors to Liu, then Emperor Zhang of the Han Dynasty, to deliver rare gifts: a lion and a fu pai (a kind of animal shaped like a lynx but without horns). This caused quite a stir in Luoyang, the capital of the country at that time. From then on, the lion, a guest from afar, began to enter the folk life of the Chinese people, not only to be treated with courtesy, but also the people of the country love it very much, and honored it as "the beast of prey", lifted to the status of the king of the beasts with the tiger on a par with the status of the king of the beasts.
Li Shizhen, "Compendium of Materia Medica," said "the lion out of the Western countries, for the long beasts." The lion in China has made such good luck, but also thanks to the Han Dynasty when Buddhism was introduced to China. Under the lamp record" cloud: Buddha Shakyamuni was born, "a finger in the sky, a finger on the ground", as a lion roar said: "heaven and earth, but I am the only one". So the Buddhists regard the lion as a solemn and auspicious beast of God and worship. Later on, the Buddha said the sound vibration of the world, the beasts deterred called "lion's roar".
In the Han and Tang dynasties in the emperor's mausoleum, the nobleman's grave before the beginning of the stone lions. But at that time only limited to the mausoleum in front of the cemetery placed, as a sacred animal on the road, often with stone horses, stone sheep and other stone statues of raw emissions together, to deter, so that people have a sense of reverence. At this time the stone lion has not yet entered the folk people, in the form and later guard the gate of the stone lion has a distinctly different characteristics, that is, there is no tall stone pedestal below the stone lion statue, which can be seen in the ancient stone lion relics of the Han and Tang dynasties.
When the stone lion to folk, become the guard gate of the beast, this custom was formed after the Tang and Song Dynasty. According to Mr. Cheng Zhang, "the Yuan dynasty stone lions" test: the Tang Dynasty residents of the capital city more than live in the "Square", which is a kind of government designated by the wall, there is a Square door to facilitate the fire and theft of the residential area, the Square door is made of more than a pagoda type, written above the name of the Square. In the foot of each square column are clamped on a pair of large stone blocks, to prevent wind and earthquake. Craftsmen in the large stone blocks carved out lions, unicorns, sea animals and other animals, both beautiful and take its Nafu inviting auspicious symbolism, which is the stone lions and other beasts to guard the prototype of the gate
Song and Yuan, some rich people in order to publicize the prestige of their own homes, they will be simplified to simplify the style of the original Square Gate, transformed into a gatehouse, imitating the original Square Gate, the original use of the clamping column of stone, the stone lions and other beasts carved in the column of stone, this wind has been retained into a tradition of the Square Gate. This wind was retained as a custom. Record of local customs in the Yuan Dynasty, "analysis of the Jin Zhi anonymous - customs" in the article
This custom has a clear record: "all in the House of the prominent eunuchs Shuo tax, to solve the library at the door, more than cast lions of pig iron, left and right outside the door with the seat, or chiseled in white stone, but also such as on the release of the ton." This is the earliest and most detailed records about the appearance of China's stone lions. Can be identified, the yuan dynasty is China's stone lions from the palace to the beginning of the folk. We see the watchman stone lion squatting in a large stone carved pedestal, which is obviously the original evolution of the remains of the pillar stone.
Another theory is that of Chinese fairy legends, the stone lions in front of the door is called mythical animal, in fact, shaped like a lion, the fifth son of the dragon, who likes to be quiet and not move in his life, good to sit, but also like smoke and fire, prisoner of this Buddha's seat on the and incense burners on the feet of the decorations are the remains of its image. This modeling through the creation of China's folk artists, so that it has a traditional Chinese style, and later became the Dragon's oldest five. The dragon decoration in the middle of the collar under the neck of stone or bronze lions during the Ming and Qing dynasties is also the image of the mythical animal, which makes the traditional Chinese door lions guarding the gates even more open and powerful.
What is the role of stone lions in front of the gate? Folklore has four sayings:
One, to avoid evil spirits and good luck. Ancient people believe that stone lions can drive away demons and evil spirits, so the earliest used to guard the tomb. This kind of spirit animal in people's minds, also known as the "evil". In people's folk life, stone lions are not only used to guard the gate, but also in the countryside intersection to set up stone lions and "stone dare to be" has the same function, used to suppress the house, to avoid evil spirits, forbid the pressure of ominous and to protect the peace of the village. So, with stone lions to the gate can avoid the evil and good luck, against those demons and monsters and so on to bring people's infringement, the performance of the psychological requirements of people praying for peace.
Secondly, the prediction of floods. In folklore, the lion has the function of predicting disasters. Said in case of flooding or land sinking and other natural disasters, stone lion's eyes will turn red or bleeding, which is a sign of disaster is coming, people can take emergency shelter. Here the stone lion has become a prophet of disaster.
Third, showing power. In ancient times in the palace, royal residence, government offices, mansions with stone lions guarding the door, showing the master's power and honor, such as Beijing Tiananmen Square, two pairs of majestic Jinshui River guarding the imperial city gate stone lions reflect the supremacy of the imperial power, shocked by the sacrosanct meaning.
The fourth, artistic decoration. Stone lions are also indispensable decorations of ancient buildings. Male lions more in the paw under the foot of a "hydrangea", female lions often step on the foot of a lion cub. Folk also have lions rolling embroidered ball paintings and patterns, which is nothing more than a symbolism of entertainment and love on earth, reflecting the people tend to peace and good wishes.