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The Komainu strongly resemble Chinese guardian lions and in fact originate from Tang dynasty China. [9] The Chinese guardian lions are believed to have been influenced by Asiatic lion pelts and lion depictions introduced through trade from either the Middle East or India, countries where the lion existed and was a symbol of strength. [10]
Shisa (Japanese: シーサー, Hepburn: shīsā, Okinawan: シーサー, romanized: shiisaa) is a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions, often seen in similar pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils.
In Chinese, they are traditionally called simply shi (Chinese: 獅; pinyin: shī) meaning lion—the word shi itself is thought to be derived from the Persian word šer. [2] Lions were first presented to the Han court by emissaries from Central Asia and Persia , and were already popularly depicted as guardian figures by the sixth century AD. [ 3 ]
The lion became popular in Japanese art from the 14th century onwards, under Chinese influence. The Chinese artistic form of the "dog-lion" (kara-shishi in Japanese) was almost always used, but was generally somewhat fatter, and with a shorter torso, than in China, with a short fan-like tail and a flattened face. [59]
Pixiu (Chinese: 貔貅; pinyin: píxiū; Wade–Giles: pʻi 2-hsiu 1; 貔貅, OC: * bi qʰu) is a Chinese mythical hybrid creature. Pixiu are considered powerful protectors of the souls of the dead, xian, [1] and feng shui practitioners, and resemble strong, winged lions.
Shachihoko evolved from Chiwen, an animal in the Chinese tale from the Han dynasty (202 BC - 220 AD), and is known as Shibi in Japan. [5] First found in the Eastern Han dynasty portrait brick “Visitation”, Chiwen appears as a component that covers the roof ridge and protects the building from fire. [6]
But the resulting statues crafted by sculptures in ancient China took the shape of a Lion which was quite different from a real lion, sort of a lion-dog hybrid as Chinese sculptures used local dogs as models, never the less these statues became an Icon and came to be called as Chinese guardian lions still considered guardian spirits etc. in ...
In Japan, Bai Ze is also called Hakutaku. The oldest known depiction of Hakutaku appears in the Tiandi ruixiang zhi ‘Treatise on the Auspicious Signs of Heaven and Earth’ (天地瑞祥志), a work originated in China. This work is listed in late 9th-century Japanese bibliographies, while is unknown in Chinese ones.