PAIRS of omnipotent stone lions traditionally protect temples, palaces and important buildings. Today they guard banks, supermarkets and the banknote printing factory. Tan Weiyun goes on a lion hunt.

Formidable Chinese lions, symbols of strength and power, for ages have stood guard at front gates, warding off evil and protecting temples, palaces, government buildings and mansions of high officials and powerful families.

Stone lions (shishi), a male and a female making a pair, are traditionally carved from marble or granite, some even cast in bronze or iron.

The male is usually on the left, his right paw resting on a globe representing the world (or an embroidered ball sometimes called the Flower of Life), while the female is on the right, her left paw restraining a playful cub on its back. The female guards the interior, the male guards the exterior.

Lions are a familiar sight in Shanghai - they stand at grand buildings on the Bund, in downtown centers and even in suburban villages. They also stand at the entrance to some supermarkets and shopping malls.

The most famous pair guards the front doors of Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp building on the Bund (1923-1955), flanking the entrance staircase. One of the lions is depicted roaring to symbolize protection, while the other is calm, symbolizing security.

They were affectionately nicknamed as Stephen and Stitt (after A G Stephen, once manager in Shanghai and the driving force behind construction of the building, and G H Stitt, Stephen's successor as manager.

In-joke went that Stephen was the louder character, while Stitt was the quieter man.

"The Chinese guarding lions, in a cultural sense, are not a realistic animal; they are a symbol of deity," according to professor Tian Zhaoyuan from the Institute of Anthropology and Folk Culture at East China Normal University. "They are an art creation based on religious belief."

Reflecting yin and yang placement, the male is on the left, the female on the right. To achieve the ultimate harmony, it's always "man left, woman right."

Lions are not native to China but to Central Asia, from where the image was imported.

Lion images started to appear in China during the Eastern Han Dynasty (AD 25-220) when a tribal leader from the west presented a golden lion skin and mane to the Han emperor.

Lions were worshipped as guardians of a house, temple and palace and inhabitants prayed to the beasts for good luck.

At one time, they were imperial lions, guarding only the imperial family and buildings symbolizing imperial power.

Lions were carved with different features during different dynasties.

They were valiant and ferocious during the Han and Tang (618-907) dynasties, lean and sinewy during the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), obedient and gentle during the Ming (1368-1644) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. Some were very elaborate.

When it came to the Qing Dynasty, there were certain rules about lion carving for the head, mane, face, teeth, body, haunches, legs and tails, embroidered belts and bells.

At the front gate of the Shanghai Museum today, eight giant stone lions representing four dynasties are lined up at the museum's southern wall.

From west to east, the lions are roaring, squatting, crouching, unfolding their wings, biting a monster, playing with a cub and staring into the distance. Some have fish scales on their back, some have tigers' claws and some have bulls' tails.

"Lions were closely associated with Buddhism and were full of supernatural power," anthropologist Tian says. In most Chinese mythology, the lion is omnipotent, not a real animal.

A close look reveals that most lions have curly manes, with clumps of curls, quite unlike a real lion's straight furry ruff.

The curls were inspired by the tight curls on the Buddha's head, the "curls" actually being snails that, according to legend, covered his head to protect him from heat while he was meditating.

It is said that when the Shakyamuni was born, he pointed one hand to the sky and the other to the ground, roaring like a lion.

Today at almost every Buddhist temple, a pair of lions stands guard at the front gate.

The lions also have a function in feng shui, the art of arranging buildings and objects to maximize positive energy.

"As the king of all animals, the lion can scare away devils and wandering ghosts," says Su Bocheng, a feng shui master who has practiced for more than 27 years.

"With enormously strong power, lions are best placed at the front gate, facing outward. They should not face inward or face people who are too weak to withstand the lion's powerful energy," Su says.

Today lions are often positioned in front of many banks and shopping plazas, and are said to help bring wealth.

A pair of bronze pixiu - lion-like hybrid creatures without an anus - have stood for decades at the front gate of the Shanghai Oriental Shopping Center in the downtown Xujiahui financial hub. Pixiu, which appears like winged lions with big bellies and open mouths, crave and attract gold, but are unable to expel it. Thus, they symbolize the accumulation of wealth. It is said that once pixiu violated a law of nature so the Jade Emperor punished the voracious gold eater by sealing its anus - so it could only consume.

The pair faces the noisy junction of the Hongqiao, Huashan and Zhaojiabang roads, one of the busiest intersections in Shanghai.

They are the third-largest pixiu pair in the city.

The largest pair, more than three meters tall, stands at the front gate of the Shanghai Banknote Printing Factory.


Where to spot guardian lions

Shanghai Oriental Shopping Center

Address: 8 Caoxi Road N.


Longhua Temple

Address: 2853 Longhua Rd


Shanghai Museum

Address: 201 People's Ave

The lions guard the south gate by Yan'an Road.


HSBC Building

Address: 12 Zhongshan Rd E1 on the Bund


Shanghai Banknote Printing Factory

Address: 158 Caoyang Rd