A Yue ware lion-shaped candlestick with blue glaze from the Western Jin Dynasty (265-316). It was unearthed at the cemetery of the Yang clan from the Western Jin Dynasty in Xintai, Shangdong province.
The lion image is often seen on ancient Egypt carvings. In Buddhist culture, the lion is the animal god that protects and maintains Buddha. Lions originated in India, Southeast Europe and Africa, and during the Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) they were introduced into China and gradually became the country’s most representative animal god. [Photo by Wen Yi/chinadaily.com.cn]
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