THE CHINESE LION 



like beasts included in Oriental mythology. Figures of the 

 kind are invariably in pairs, one of which, the male, has its 

 right pad set upon a ball of coarse embroidered pattern, while 

 the left pad of the female rests upon a lion-cub holding the 

 beak-like claws of the lioness in its mouth. The ethereal 

 nature of the beasts is shown by flame-like emanations often 

 represented as playing over their bodies. The figures are set 

 each upon a richly embroidered cloth called the " ching- 

 ti'erh ' or " Bible-cloth," of a design found in similar 

 Assyrian monuments, which is used in Tibet for covering the 

 temple tables where the sacred books are laid. This cloth 

 overlies a low pedestal of framework design, which is also 

 richly ornamented and similar to the tables, being built low 

 to serve as a seat on which the Tibetan priest sits crossed- 

 legged when reading. A very frequent addition is that of a 

 cord or noose held in the mouth of the lion as if in play. 

 Numerous small modifications and additions occur, such as 

 stars on the body of the lion. Similar stars are found on 

 Assyrian, Siberian, Tibetan and Chinese lions alike, thus 

 clearly demonstrating a close common art-origin. What these 

 stars represent does not appear to have been explained. 



The relationship of the " true " or " spirit-lion " and the 

 lion-dog is defined by the following extract from the Tibetan 

 sacred writings : " In the West there was a Buddha named 

 Manjusri (the Chinese Wenshu) who was always accom- 

 panied by a small ' hah-pah ' (pet) dog and who travelled 

 the four continents as a simple priest. On his travels he one 

 day met a Taoist who begged him to obtain an audience with 

 Manjusri. The Buddha invited the Taoist to accompany 

 him to his home. When the Taoist had taken tea and rice, 

 he again requested the Buddha to secure for him a vision of 

 Manjusri Buddha. The Buddha told him that he must 

 observe his vows with great strictness and that Manjusri 



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