DOGS OF CHINA AND JAPAN 



with the Chinese lions, but without the attributes introduced 

 into China by the Lamaists. Such lion-guardians protect the 

 entrance to the tomb of Tokugawa lyesasu, who died in 

 A.D. 1604, at Nikko. These guardians are commonly found 

 in Japan as in China at the entrances to temples (miya). 

 Another instance of error in knowledge of Chinese Buddhist 

 art in Japan is the illustrating and describing of a Chinese 

 lion as a kylin by Kaempfer, who derived his information 

 from a well-educated Japanese. The Shinto priests, too, 

 have lion-images in their temples, though these are clearly 

 Buddhist. 



The throne of the Dalai Lama at Lhasa is supported by 

 carved lions.* Similarly lions are found at the foot of the 

 Japanese Imperial throne, serving as supports to the golden 

 chair upon which the Mikado sits. They sit upright upon 

 their haunches with straight forelegs. Their mouths are 

 gaping, their mane is curled in tufts, their tails are bifurcated, 

 and according to Griffis they are called " Corean dogs." 

 Griffis thinks that they may here typify the vassalage of 

 Corea, said to have been conquered by the Empress Jingu. 

 She called the King of Shinra " the dog of Japan." f 



The lioness on the western side of the Chinese doorway has 

 her left paw resting upon an upturned lion-cub, and her 

 claws are in its mouth. The whelp is supposed to be sucking 

 milk through the claws, for the old Chinese belief is that the 

 lioness secretes milk in her pads. 



These legends may be compared with the old European 

 superstition linked in mediaeval times with Christianity, that 

 the lion-whelp was born dead, and brought to life on the 

 third day by being breathed on by its father. 



These two Chinese superstitions are no doubt due to 



" Thibet the Mysterious," by Sir Thomas Holdich, p. 318. 

 f Griffis, " Corea the Hermit Nation," p. 53. 



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