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  Protection - Han Dynasty Style  

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Uploaded: 02/18/12 10:48 AM GMT
Protection - Han Dynasty Style
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To be perfectly appropriate this should be an image of a pair of lions manipulated to sit this close together. However this handsome fella is the male of a doorway guarding pair from "Wide and Narrow Alleys" in Chengdu. This tradition in China originates in the Han Dynasty (200 bc to 200 ad) and has very particular patterns. Next time you see a pair, most "chinatowns" in the West have them and you'll seem in plenty of movies, notice that the one on your right has his foot on a ball and the one on your left has her foot on a playful cub. The female guards the people inside and the male guards the actual structure. Due to my ignorance when I took this shot, I didn't shoot the pair, only the male. Fortunately the background suited itself to this kind of mirroring. I put my hand in this fella's mouth because I had a suspicion, which was confirmed, that the ball in his mouth was loose, carved to roll in his mouth, and that was the case. There is carving everywhere in China and I loved it. Other images will be shared further illustrating this cultural theme. Apparently the style of the lions changed from Dynasty to Dynasty which is partly why you see such a wide variety of appearances these days.

Enjoy.

Mikel.

Comments

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::cynlee
02/18/12 3:14 PM GMT
Yes, I have seen these in gardens at at shrines. I will have to differentiate the male from the female next time I see a pair. Funny the things that are right under our noses that get missed. Well done job of maniping this fellow together as you have done. Very sharp image too.
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.Jhihmoac
02/18/12 3:17 PM GMT
Nice post...faved...
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::vangoughs
02/19/12 12:43 AM GMT
So Cool!
Love It!!
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.Nikoneer
02/19/12 1:23 AM GMT
"Guard dogs" like these continued as a tradition for many years, well into the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) and were called "Fo Dogs." You say one of these carvings had a ball under one foot? The Fo Dog, often carved of jade, was said to protect tombs and homes from robbers, dragons, and evil spirits, and although it's purpose was a defensive one, it was similar to a small playful lion. The ball under the foot was called a pearl, a gem that, in Chinese mythology, averts fire, floods, dust storms, and disturbances within cities. Nice shot and good mirror manip.

-Nik
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If you've ever wanted to make a difference but found it hard to believe that one person could... check out the Kiva Team Caedes discussion thread and discover that anything is possible.
::Starry173
02/19/12 4:23 AM GMT
Interesting background and really cool sculpture and post work. Enjoyed this.
Tom
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.Tedi
02/19/12 7:49 AM GMT
Nice capture. The subjects are interesting. Very sharp photo.
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::LynEve
02/19/12 9:42 AM GMT
Nice manip and also nice to learn about the traditions
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My thanks to all who leave comments for my work and to those of you who like one enough to make it a favourite. To touch just one person that way makes each image worthwhile. . . . . . . . . .. . . . "The question is not what you look at, but what you see" ~ Marcel Proust
.icedancer
02/20/12 6:49 PM GMT
Fantastic capture of these lovely statues
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