W440xH300mm, China
The pekingese dogs featured in yesterday’s post is also known as a “shi zi” dog, a lion dog.
Lion, shi zi, is not an animal originated from China, its legendary power and strength has captured the imagination of the people. Though worship for their bravery and power, they are often portrayed as a playful creature. Looking at the clip of the two lions playing, it seems that the Chinese image of the lion look closer to that of a pekingese dog than the lion itself. I wonder if shi zi dog (pekingese) would have been bred basing on this traditional image of the shi zi.
Mountain Folkcraft 