Lions belong to feline mammals in zoology. Its male body is vigorous, with a big head and a wide face, a mane on his neck and a fierce posture. Its origin is not in China, but in Africa, India, South America and other places. During the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty, Zhang Qian sent a mission to the Western Regions, which opened up the connection between China and other countries in the Western Regions and enabled the lion to enter China. "The Story of the Western Regions": "In the first year of Zhang (AD 87), (a country of interest) sent envoys to offer teachers (lions) and." It means that an envoy from an interest country far away in West Asia (equivalent to today's Iran) presented a rare gift to Emperor Liu of the Han Dynasty at that time: the lion and (a rare hornless animal). This caused quite a stir in Luoyang, the then capital. From then on, the lion, a guest from afar, began to enter the folk life of China people, and was not only treated with courtesy, but also loved by China people. It is called the "Rui beast" and has been promoted to the status of the king of beasts comparable to the tiger. In Li Shizhen's Compendium of Materia Medica, it is said that "the lion is the first of all animals when he leaves the western countries." Lions have such good luck in China, and they also benefited from the introduction of Buddhism into China in the Han Dynasty. "Recorded under the Light" said: When Buddha Sakyamuni was born, he made a lion roar: "Heaven and earth are the only ones". Therefore, Buddhists regard lions as solemn and auspicious beasts and worship them all the more. In the future, Buddhists said that the sound shook the heavens and the earth, and all animals were frightened, so it was called "lion roar". During the Han and Tang Dynasties, the traces of stone lions began to appear in front of imperial tombs and aristocratic tombs. However, it was only placed in front of the tomb at that time. As a mythical beast, it is often placed with stone statues such as stone horse and stone sheep to show shock and awe. At this time, the stone lion has not yet entered the folk, and its shape is obviously different from that of the stone lion who later guarded the city gate, that is, there is no tall stone pedestal under the stone lion statue, which can be clearly seen in the remains of ancient stone lions in Han and Tang Dynasties. Shishi went to the folk and became a gatekeeper beast. This custom was formed after the Tang and Song Dynasties. According to Mr. Cheng's "Interesting Talk about Stone Chambers in Yuan Dynasty", most residents in the capital of Tang Dynasty lived in "houses", which were residential areas with walls and security doors designated by the government. Most square doors are made into memorial archways with Fang's name written on them. Put a pair of big stones at the foot of each square column to prevent wind and earthquake. Craftsmen carve lions, unicorns, sea animals and other animals on big stones, which is both beautiful and auspicious. This is a prototype of using stone lions and other Swiss animals to protect the gate. Since the Song and Yuan Dynasties, some rich people have simplified the original style of the square gate and transformed it into a gatehouse. Just like the stone pillars used in the original square gate, Swiss animals such as stone lions are carved on the pillars, and this style has been preserved. This custom is clearly recorded in the article "Tianjin Record Analysis and Collection of Lost Customs", which records the local customs in the Yuan Dynasty: "In the capital, the head of the library is mostly cast with pig iron, and the left and right doors are connected, or it is carved with white stone, which is the same as above." This is the earliest, most detailed and conclusive record of the appearance time of the gatekeeper stone lion in China. It can be concluded that the Yuan Dynasty was the beginning of China's gatekeeper stone lions from the palace to the folk. Most of the stone lions we saw squatted on a pedestal carved by a big stone, which is obviously a relic evolved from the original beryl. Another way of saying it is the legend of Chinese immortals. The stone lion in front of the door is called Sister-in-law. In fact, it looks like a lion, the fifth son of a dragon. He likes quiet, sitting well and fireworks all his life. The foot ornaments on the Buddha's seat and incense burner are his portraits. This style was created by China folk artists, which made it have the traditional style of China, and later became the fifth son of Zi Long. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the dragon-shaped decoration in the middle of the collar of the stone lion or bronze lion is also an image of the lion entering the tiger's mouth, which makes the traditional China gate lion more powerful. What's the use of putting a stone lion in front of the gate? There are four popular sayings: First, avoid evil spirits and avoid Naji. The ancients thought that stone lions could ward off evil spirits, so they were first used to guard tombs. This kind of spirit beast in people's minds is also called "avoiding evil spirits". In people's folk life, stone lions are not only used to guard the gate, but also set up stone lions at rural intersections, which have the same function as "Shi Gandang", and are used to guard houses, ward off evil spirits, and keep villages safe. Therefore, using stone lions to close the gate can ward off evil spirits and resist the harm caused by monsters, which shows people's psychological requirements for praying for peace. Second, forecast the flood. In folklore, it is said that lions have the function of predicting disasters. It is said that in the event of natural disasters such as floods or land subsidence, the eyes of stone lions will turn red or bleed, which is a sign of impending disaster and people can take refuge in an emergency. Here, the stone lion became a prophet of disaster. Third, highlight the dignitaries. In ancient times, stone lions were often used as gatekeepers of palaces, palaces, offices and luxury houses, which showed the power and dignity of their owners. For example, two pairs of majestic stone lions on the Jinshui River in front of Tiananmen Square in Beijing guard the gate of the imperial city, which embodies the supreme imperial power and inviolability in all directions. Fourth, art decoration. Stone lions are also indispensable decorations in ancient buildings. Male lions often step on the "hydrangea" under their paws, and female lions often step on the little lions under their feet. There are also paintings and patterns of rolling hydrangeas by lions among the people, which only represent the symbolic significance of entertainment and human love and reflect people's good wishes for peace and harmony.