Chinese guardian lions, also known as imperial guardian lions or stone lions, are traditional Chinese architectural ornaments. Typically crafted from stone, they are commonly referred to as stone lions or shishi. In colloquial English, they are known as lion dogs or foo dogs. The concept, which originated and gained popularity in Chinese Buddhism, depicts a pair of Asiatic lions—usually one male with a ball symbolizing the material elements and one female with a cub representing the spirit element—believed to safeguard the building from negative spiritual influences and potential threats from individuals.
