There are rules for the placement of the gatekeeper stone lions.
Generally speaking, they are one male and one female, in pairs, and generally there is a male on the left and a female on the right, which is in line with the traditional Chinese philosophy of yin and yang of men on the left and women on the right. The male lion placed on the left side of the door is usually carved with his right front paw playing with a hydrangea or with a hydrangea between his two front paws; the female lion on the right side of the door is carved with her left front paw caressing a lion cub or with a lion cub lying between her two front paws.
The placement of stone lions on both sides of the gate is based on the direction of people coming out of the gate. When a person comes out of the gate, the male lion should be on the left side of the person, and the female lion should be on the right side of the person. When entering from the outside, it is just the opposite. If there are a pair of stone lions inside and outside the door of some buildings, outside the door (that is, the direction of entering), the male lion is on the right and the female lion is on the left; inside the door (that is, the direction of exit), the male lion is on the left. , the lioness is on the right. In other words, if you come out of the gate, there must be a male lion on the left side of the door and a female lion on the right side.
Decoration lions should also pay attention to Feng Shui
1. Lions should be placed in the northwest
This is because lions were introduced to China from the Western Regions. The northwest is the place where it is most active, which occupies a favorable geographical position; secondly, because the lion belongs to the Qian Gua, it lives in the northwest, and the five elements belong to gold, so the lion (especially the bronze lion or the gold lion) is placed in the northwest to make the best use of it. Its efficacy. At the same time, the West is also suitable for placing lions.
2. Lions should be matched in pairs
It is better to place lions in pairs, one female and one male. And the male and female must be distinguished, and the left and right cannot be inverted. When placing the lions, as long as they take care of each other, they will not be placed wrongly. If one of them is broken, it should be replaced immediately with a brand new pair of lions, and the remaining one should not be left in its place.
3. The lion's head must face outside the house
Lions are very fierce and have strong evil spirits. The Feng Shui layout is used to prevent evil spirits and ghosts from entering the house, so the lion's head should face outside the house. If placed in a window, the lion's head must also face the window.
4. Lion-headed gates can block evil spirits
Lions are mostly used to defuse evil spirits outside the house. Therefore, if you cannot place a stone lion on the gate to guard it, you can add a stone lion on the gate. The metal lion head can also play a role in blocking evil spirits. The lion looks fierce, unstoppable and powerful, and is the king of beasts. All over the world, people regard lions as auspicious animals, and lion statues can be seen everywhere on the five continents. Although lions are not a native product of China, China has a unique lion culture. During festive seasons, lion dances are held across the country. People put on colorful lion coats and imitate lions walking, sitting, lying, pitching and jumping. Among them, the dance of "Double Lions Playing with Hydrangea" symbolizes endless life, family reproduction and social prosperity. The auspicious pattern of a lion rolling a hydrangea also has the same meaning. The image of the lion often appears in Buddhist classics and Buddhist statues. The Wisdom Buddha Manjushri rides a lion, which adds auspicious meaning to the lion.
5. The male lion is on the left and the female lion is on the right
The female lion is on the side. In China, the ancients believed that lions can not only ward off evil spirits, but also bring auspiciousness. The combination of lion culture and Kanyu culture has produced a majestic treasure of the house - lion statues of various materials and shapes. It not only appears outside palace offices and wealthy families, but also at the entrances of some temples and Taoist temples, in front of mausoleums, and on bridges. A pair of majestic lion statues are also placed. In ancient times, the government and wealthy families were the ruling class and aristocratic class of society. The lion occupied the supreme position among the beasts, and the lion statue also became a symbol of authority. The lion statue outside the official gate also became an "official". The lion on the left side of the palace represents the "grand master", which is the highest official rank in the court; the lion on the right side represents the "shaobao", the bodyguard of the crown prince. Anyone who has been to the Forbidden City in Beijing knows that in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony there is a pair of bronze lions that can be called the king of lions. They are majestic, tall and beautifully cast. The lion on the left is a male lion, teasing the hydrangea with his right paw, symbolizing authority; the lion on the right is a female lion, teasing the lion cub with her left paw, symbolizing inheritance from generation to generation.
In ancient houses, the main function of placing lion statues was to control evil spirits in the house, so that evil spirits and monsters outside the door would not dare to enter the house and disturb people. Modern people also like to place lion statues, but because many people do not understand lion culture and culture, they abuse and place lion statues casually, causing the mighty lion statues to lose their due "function". Some commentators in Hong Kong and Taiwan believe that lion statues should be placed in the northwest and west. The reason is that lions were introduced to China from the Western Regions, so the northwest and west are the directions where they are most familiar and active, and can take advantage of the geographical advantages. Although there is some truth to this statement, the way to place lion statues is not so rigid. In terms of orientation, lion statues can be placed in the southeast, northwest, and southeast. For example, in ancient China, most government offices faced north and south, and lion statues were also placed. Place it in the south.
6. When placing a lion statue, you must consider the terrain.
Topography When placing a lion statue, it is more important to consider the terrain. Generally speaking, the place should be placed high rather than low. , there should be an open space in front. Only when it is condescending can the lion statue show its extraordinary momentum. With enough space, the lion can be useful. Some people place lion statues in low, narrow spaces, which creates a "lion trapped" pattern. If a modern residence encounters unfavorable conditions such as a straight road or opposite corners of the house, a lion statue can be placed to block it. If the unfavorable factors come from the north, stone lions and jade lions can be placed in the north; if they come from the west, red lions can be placed in the west; if they come from the south, black lions can be placed in the south; if they come from the east, copper lions can be placed in the east. Lion, white lion, etc.