THE CHINESE LION 



is frequently represented in Roman sculpture. Persian bas- 

 reliefs represent Mithras in the form of a youth wearing a 

 conical cap, slaying the sacred bull, whose sacrifice was 

 supposed to have originated terrestrial life. His dog is 

 shown springing towards the wound in the bull's side. 

 Accompanying these are a serpent, a raven, a lion, symbolizing 

 the element fire, and a torch-bearer.* 



Some believe that light on the origins of certain early 

 Egyptian practices is to be found among the customs of the 

 tribes of Africa. Speke f mentions that the heraldic device 

 of Mtesa, King of Uganda, consisted of a white dog, a shield, 

 a spear, and a woman. On state occasions Mtesa was 

 accustomed to lead a small dog on a leash. 



Another of the Lama Gospels says, " The lion is the King 

 of Beasts. Its power of increase is without limit. Similarly 

 it may diminish (at will) and become like unto a dog. Even 

 so is the anger of man. He who keepeth his anger in subjec- 

 tion shall be free from calamity, but the woe of him that 

 shall fail to bridle his wrath shall be even as the boundless 

 increase in size of the lion. Through the lion's form there- 

 fore is the nature of anger known unto man." J 



The dog-lion idea is illustrated by the Chinese written 

 character for " lion." The most important Order of Merit 

 given to high State officials in China from the earliest times 

 included the decorations Great Instructor and Lesser In- 

 structor (T'ai Shih, Shao Shih). Since the introduction of 

 Buddhism these ranks, because Shih also means ' lion," 

 have been pictorially represented by lions. This custom 

 originated in part from the fact that up to the T'ang Dynasty 

 (A.D. 618) the " lion " and " Instructor " characters as well 

 as sounds were identical. The root " dog " was subsequently 



* See Mithras, Encyclopaedia Britannica. 



t " Travels to the Sources of the Nile." J Tu Lu Wa Ching. 



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