How much do you know about stone lions in Ming and Qing Dynasties?

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, tombs and Buddhist grottoes gradually declined, and Han folk sculptures gradually became the main body of traditional sculptures. The characteristics of its stone lion carving are: the stone lion carving in Ming and Qing Dynasties is closely combined with Han folk architecture, and it is widely used in ancestral halls, halls, houses, bridges, archways, theaters and other Han folk architecture. The overall characteristics of stone lion carving in Ming and Qing dynasties are: exquisite conception, delicate description, strong sense of movement, changeable shape and gorgeous decoration. Among some small stone lions carved by Han people, there is also a simple folk style of Han people, which is generally used in building parts. For example, the Zhangjia memorial archway in Dan County, Shandong Province is also called "Hundred Lions Square" because there are hundreds of large and small stone lions. Also used as utensils, indoor furnishings, decorations, etc. ; There are also articles used as toys or some folk activities.

For example, Shuanwa Shishi, which is popular in Shanxi, Shaanxi and the Yellow River valley, and Shuamazhuang Shishi, which is popular in Guanzhong area, are all representatives of small stone lions, showing the unique childlike and innocent folk style of the Han nationality in the Loess Plateau. In the Ming and Qing Dynasties, another notable feature of lion culture was that the traditional lion image rose to a national cultural symbol, while in the Han folk culture, the lion almost became synonymous with auspicious birds and animals. Lion art has entered the lives of ordinary people from Buddhist shrines and shrines and is loved by people of all ethnic groups. Symbolic themes, such as more lions and fewer lions, rolling hydrangeas, lions entering the door and playing lions back and forth, are widely used in almost all Han folk art categories; In the decoration of Han residential buildings, the image of lions can be seen everywhere on the door lions, door pillows, columns, bridges, railings, roofs and screen walls. There are also lion dances, children's lion head hats, lion head shoes and so on, which are popular in the north and south of the river.