Chinese guardian lions or Imperial guardian lions, often miscalled `Foo Dogs` in the West, are a common representation of the lion in imperial China. Chinese guardian lions are sometimes referred to in English as shishi, from the Chinese shàshë Chinese: 石çÂâ¦; pinyin: shÃÂshë; literally: `stone lion`, which refers specifically to lion sculptures in stone. The concept, which originated and became popular in Chinese Buddhism, subsequently spread to other parts of Asia including, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia and Laos.
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