There were lions in ancient China?

Lions are produced in Africa and West Asia. According to Mr. Yang Xianyi "translation of the Yu even pick up - folk preservation of the Tang & lt; Xiliang Shu & gt;" said: "China's folk seasonal customs in the dance of false lions, we have to remember, is passed on by India. India today there is a lion dance in the folk race. There is no lion in our country, all the knowledge about the lion is originally from India. Even the name of the lion was originally a translation. Ceylon island original Sanskrit name Sinhala (simhala), meaning the lion country, the ogre also named the island for sielediba or sirandib. Chinese 'lion' I'm afraid that is not according to the Sanskrit, but according to the ogre pronunciation translation, this is because of the ancient South China Sea ogre for the Sino-Indian cultural intermediary of the reason. ." In ancient Chinese literature, there are also frequent references to lions being offered to China by Western countries, suggesting that lions were not native to China.

Sima Biao's "The Book of the Continuing Han" says, "The state of Jiaozhi produced lions and rhinoceroses. In the first year of Zhanghe (87) of Emperor Zhangdi, the state of Anshi sent an envoy to offer lions."

Yang Xianzhi "Luoyang Galaxy Records" said: "Yongqiao South Road east of the white elephant, the lion two Square ...... lion, the Persian State Hu King offered also, for the traitors Wanyi Ushinu was captured, stayed in the invasion. Yongan end (530), ugly slave broken, began to reach the capital."

Li Zhao "Tang State History Supplement" said: "Kaiyuan end (about 741), the western country offer lion. To Chang'an West Road, tied to the post tree, tree near the well, the lion roared, if not from the security. A short while later, the wind and thunder arrived, the fruit of the dragon out of the well and go."

By the above examples can be seen, Western countries often offer lions to China. If China also produces lions, there is no need for other countries to transport them. The Tang State History Supplement, the things contained in the ancient Chinese mind of the lion, different from ordinary beasts, but with some kind of spirituality. It is no wonder that Yu Shinan in the early Tang Dynasty, "Lion Fugue", the lion is called "the beast of the world".

The lion offered to China, mainly for the royal family to see. This kind of lion, is after artificial domestication. Italian traveler Marco Polo in his "Travels", wrote that the emperor of Tartary around, there are very tame lions. In the fifteenth chapter of Marco Polo's Travels, it is said that the emperor, at the beginning of the new year, as usual, receives the gifts of the princes and nobles, and then the emperor invites his guests to his table:

After the table is dismissed, the guests are entertained by the musicians and the children of the Pear Garden who perform a program....... At this moment, there is a lion, which has been brought to his majesty, and which is very tame, so that it can be told to lie at the feet of the emperor and to be taken by him. It could be told to lie at the emperor's feet. After the entertainment program was completed, only then did everyone disperse.

It seems that the lion was so tame that it was also able to perform the program and was the grand finale of many programs. In addition, the eighteenth chapter of Marco Polo's Travels paints a colorful picture of the hunting and life of the lions kept by the royal family, which apparently actually made up the royal circus:

The Great Khan kept many leopards and bobcats for the hunting of deer, as well as many lions, larger than those of Babylon. Its fur was lustrous and beautifully colored - striped on both sides, interspersed with black, white, and red. This lion is adept at attacking wild boar, bison, asses, bears, deer, roe deer, and other beasts of prey used for hunting and recreation. When the lion is released from its cage to chase wild beasts, its ferociousness and the agility with which it captures the object of its aim make people marvel at it. For this purpose, His Majesty the Emperor specially put the lion in a cage and transported it in a cart to the hunting place. Next to the lion was a small dog, and they were so used to each other that the lion would not do it any harm. When the lion sees the prey, it is quick and ferocious, and it is difficult for people to restrain and control it, so it must be kept in a cage. The most appropriate method is to pull them forward against the wind, so that the prey can not smell their odor, otherwise the prey will immediately escape without a trace, which will lose the opportunity to hunt for fun.

In the Ming and Qing dynasties, Chinese royalty used for ornamental lions, still by the Western countries to pay tribute.

Tian Yi-Heng "stay in the green journal" Volume 29, said: "Chenghua Wuxu (1478) Western tribute lions, home to the great master in the Beijing division of the insect ants room had seen. To Jiajing forty-two years (1563) and tribute, within the brother Zhang Ziwen was Shaanxi Buzheng Minister, personally see."

Mao Qiling has "imperial decree to see the lions imported by the Western countries, because they were read all the beasts of the tiger circle, to make a long sentence chronicle" poem, which has "seventeen years in the Kangxi wu, Shenwu reputation broadcast far and wide" line. According to the Kangxi wu for the year 1678 AD, this year, there are also "Western countries" to offer lions.

These lions are able to perform. Liuzheng Rizhazha" said the Ming Dynasty "Western tribute to the lion", animal trainers also came to China, the lion was tied to a stake by the iron rope, "the barbarians and the play and dance with the apathy". From the "apathy play dance" four words, you can also know that the Ming and Qing lion show with the Roman Colosseum era of lion fighting is completely different.

Stone lions are more familiar with a kind of decoration. Now, there are often restaurants, restaurants with stone lions for the ancient cultural symbols, but in the past, only five (the number of ancient China to the grade that the size of the class of officials. Five officials are equivalent to the current provincial level, the county level and above the local administrative officials.) Only officials above the provincial level could set up a majestic stone lion at the entrance. Stone lion head of the number of hair curls, but also allows people to further identify the owner of the official grade, the emperor's stone lion has 13 rows of curls, Prince has 12 rows, other officials according to the title decreasing.