W15xL60xH50mm, China
These black colour clay toys are a specialty from the Huai Yang area. The figurines take on many forms, from domestic animals to monster like creatures, as they began not as toys but saintly totems for worshiping. The lion was not originated from China, its legends came together with the Buddhism from India. The lion was not any ordinary wild animal but mystical creature with super power, it was worshiped for its power and its protection. As time goes by, the idea of the lion totem began to lose sharp, the figurines portray friendly and even cute lions and instead of being an object of worship, they are more like a children’s toy.
Mountain Folkcraft 