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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Michael J." data-source="post: 342765" data-attributes="member: 13861">Chinese guardian lions or Imperial guardian lion, traditionally known in Chinese simply as Shi - The lions are traditionally carved from decorative stone, such as marble and granite or cast in bronze or iron. Because of the high cost of these materials and the labor required to produce them, private use of guardian lions was traditionally reserved for wealthy or elite families. Indeed, a traditional symbol of a family's wealth or social status was the placement of guardian lions in front of the family home. However, in modern times less expensive lions, mass-produced in concrete and resin, have become available and their use is therefore no longer restricted to the elite. The lions are always presented in pairs, a manifestation of yin and yang, the female representing yin and the male yang. The Lion is one of Buddhism's most potent symbols. Traditionally, the lion is associated with regality, strength and power. It is therefore an appropriate symbol for the Buddha who tradition has it was a royal prince. The Buddha's teachings are sometimes referred to as the 'Lion's Roar', again indicative of their strength and power.Source: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_guardian_lions" target="_blank">Chinese guardian lions - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</a>[ATTACH=full]106544[/ATTACH]</blockquote>