Traditional Culture Encyclopedia - Traditional festivals - What does a lion mean?

What does a lion mean?

Question 1: What does the lion represent in the zodiac? Lions don't mean anything in the zodiac, because there are no lions in the zodiac.

The Chinese Zodiac, also known as the Chinese Zodiac, is twelve kinds of animals in China that match the twelve earthly branches with the birth year of human beings, including rats, cows, tigers, rabbits, dragons, snakes, horses, sheep, monkeys, chickens, dogs and pigs.

The zodiac is an intuitive representation of the twelve earthly branches, namely, Zi (mouse), Ugly (ox), Yin (tiger), Mao (rabbit), Chen (dragon), Si (snake), Wu (horse), Wei (sheep), Shen (monkey), You (chicken) and Xu (chicken). In modern times, more people regard the zodiac as the mascot of the Spring Festival and become a symbol of entertainment and cultural activities.

Question 2: What does it mean to put a lion at the door? The origin of the stone lion: When did the stone lion appear in China architecture? According to textual research, lions were originally introduced into the Central Plains from West Asia, and were called "lions" in ancient times. Note: It is called "lion" because it was first introduced from the lion country in southern India. Because there is no lion in China, it deifies its strength and image. People in China think that their sister-in-law likes fireworks, so they stand on both sides of the incense burner. He also said that it is better to sit at the gate of the temple. A pair of lions are usually placed in front of temples or government offices. The lion is on the left and the lioness is on the right. Lions step on hydrangeas or fiddle with double money; The lioness plays with the little lion, shaking her head and tail to welcome the tourists. Lions are also considered to have exorcism, which may be related to the prevalence of exorcism during the Han, Wei and Six Dynasties. There is a kind of "winged lion" in front of the tombs of nobles in the Southern Dynasties. This kind of lion with wings on its shoulders is very common in ancient Egypt and western Asian countries. People put it in front of graves to protect the dead underground.

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. For example, at the eastern end of Lugou Bridge in Beijing, two large stone lions are used to guard the railings. Not only are stone lions engraved on the China table stigma at both ends of the bridge, but some stone lions also hide a few little lions. These lions are men and women, big and small, with vivid expressions and wonderful workmanship. The smallest lion is only a few centimeters, which is not only numerous, but also unpredictable. Therefore, there is a saying that there are countless lions in Lugouqiao.

There are rules for the placement of the stone lions. Generally speaking, they are male and female in pairs, and they are generally left male and right female, which conforms to China's traditional philosophy of Yin and Yang. The lion placed on the left side of the door is generally carved into the right front paw to play with hydrangea or there is a hydrangea between the two front paws; The lioness on the right side of the door is carved into the left front paw to touch the cub or the cub is located between the two front paws.

The stone lions on both sides of the gate are placed according to the direction in which people come out of the gate. When people come out of the gate, the lion should be on the left and the lioness on the right. When entering from the outside, it's just the opposite. For example, there are a pair of stone lions outside the door of some buildings. Outside the door (that is, the direction of entering the door), the male lion is on the right and the female lion is on the left; Inside the door (that is, the direction of going out) is the lion on the left and the lioness on the right. In other words, when you leave the gate, there must be a lion on the left and a lioness on the right.

? The stone lion often mentioned by the two men in front of the bank is actually a lion, not a lion as people think.

1, brave men and women are suitable for wearing, but the elderly over 72 years old, both men and women, are reluctant to wear brave.

Wear it yourself, don't touch it casually.

3. Always touch it before and when you wear it, and let it know that you are its owner, because it is a spirit beast. As long as you take good care of it, it will listen and help you.

4. When you don't want to wear it, you need to put it where you can see the door. Just point the animal at the door. )

? There is also a man and a woman. According to folklore, men represent wealth and women represent treasury. If you have money, you must have a vault to keep it. So most of the collections are a pair of collections, which can really make money. ...& gt& gt

Question 3: What does the lion stand for? The answer is a monkey, and the monkey is no. It is the ninth of the twelve zodiac signs in China. Monkeys have the following characteristics: cunning, enthusiasm, stability, wit, love to improvise and leadership; Their shortcomings are: cheating, cheating, gabbing, imbecility, self-infatuation, opportunism. Monkeys are born responsible. They like to see their work done well, but they don't want to see their names appear in a sloppy job. At the next party you attend, look at the man who likes telling jokes. Does he have similar characteristics to monkeys? Is there anything strong and sensitive in his words and deeds? They walked from one crowd to another, looking for the most appreciative audience, and then went on to tell his creepy experiences or strange things he knew, which made people dizzy. If this charming storyteller's plan is not successful, he will unbutton his shirt like a monkey, then put it on backwards like a clown and turn around.

Question 4: What does the stone lion stand for? Shishi has the function of exorcising evil spirits among the people and is the mascot of gatekeeper. Different shapes of stone lions represent different meanings.

Beijing lion:

As the name implies, the Beijing lion is the stone lion in Beijing, referring to the stone lion in the Forbidden City in Beijing. The shape of Beijing lion is generally dignified and atmospheric, which is a symbol of imperial power. Beijing lion is an auspicious beast that guards the royal gate and ensures the peace of the palace, because the lion is the king of all animals, magnificent, majestic and imposing. Rulers believe that lions can not only ward off evil spirits, but also bring auspicious atmosphere. Lions in Beijing have a public mother. The lion's headdress is mane, with a loud neck, muscular and magnificent momentum. There is a little lion lying on his back at the left front foot of the lioness, and the male lion caresses a hydrangea on its right front foot. There are complex and exquisite leaf rolling patterns on the base. The bronze lion in the Forbidden City has become a model of all traditional lion styles.

Money lion:

Because the stone lion is usually decorated with a string of ancient money before modeling, it is named. It is a model of the southern stone lion. The lion offering money has the meaning of making money into treasure, and its shape is cute and smart, full of spirituality. It is one of the most common stone lions in the Han nationality and is often placed in front of temples or ancestral halls. Lions who donate money are generally hermaphroditic, and lions are often decorated with large strings of copper coins, meaning lucky money and treasure. The lioness plays with the little lion, which means that people are prosperous.

Tennis lion:

Also often called the ball lion, it is also the most common stone lion shape in South China. The shape of the net lion evolved from the traditional auspicious pattern of double lions playing in China. According to legend, the lion is the king of beasts and a symbol of strength and majesty. Buddhist classics, the lion is highly respected. Tan Hui: "Shi Yu Shi (lion) is brave and diligent, and he is a rider of Manjusri Bodhisattva". Lions playing with balls is considered as a way to exorcise evil spirits, so the shape of tennis lions is very popular among Han people. Netlions are generally male and female, but both male and female lions are playing with a big hydrangea.

Chaoshan lion:

It is a kind of stone lion craft modeling spread in Chaoshan area of Guangdong Province. Chaoshan lions are like lions, but not like lions. It is an exaggerated and beautified artistic image. According to the famous woodcarving artist Zhang's formula: "Twelve don lions" means the characteristics of Chaoshan lion's head, with emphasis on exaggerating the lion's head and highlighting the key points. The Chaoshan lion is very tall. The nose is wide, the eyes are big, the head and feet are covered with curly hair, and the body is covered with mane, which not only conforms to the lion's ecology, but also coordinates with the overall exaggeration. The head is big and the body is small, but because of the very decent sitting posture, people feel that their posture is vigorous, neat and beautiful, solemn and dignified, lively and interesting.

Hong kong lion:

This is a strange thing. With the introduction of western banks, it first appeared in front of Hong Kong banks, hence its name. This kind of stone lion is more realistic, and its shape is similar to that of a real lion. Usually a man and a woman are a pair, or standing or standing on both sides of the bank gate. Generally, the male lion's mouth is open, indicating that he wants to make money and treasure. The lioness kept her mouth shut, indicating that she kept her money.

Play the lion:

Playing lion, also known as stubborn lion and happy lion, looks like a happy and playful lion.

Question 5: What does the black stone lion mean? People in China have always regarded stone lions as auspicious things. Among the numerous garden attractions in China, stone lions with different shapes can be seen everywhere. A pair of stone lions were placed in front of the gates of ancient official temples and huge houses to guard the town houses. Until modern times, in front of the gates of many buildings, there were still such Shishi town residential nursing homes. Then, how did the custom of closing the gate with stone lions come into being and when did it originate? 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. "Once"? "Biography of the Western Regions": "In the first year of Zhang (AD 87), (an interest country) sent an envoy to offer a teacher (lion)." It means that an envoy from an interest country far away in West Asia (equivalent to Iran today) presented a rare gift to Emperor Liu of the Han Dynasty at that time: lion and (a rare horned 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, at that time, it was only placed in front of the tomb. 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 Shishi in Yuan Dynasty", most residents in the capital of Tang Dynasty lived in "houses", which were residential areas with walls and square doors for fire prevention and theft prevention. 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. Record the customs of the Yuan Dynasty. "Customs" clearly recorded this custom: "In the capital, the official taxpayer shows that the treasury is the first solution. Most lions are made of pig iron, and the left and right doors are connected, or they are made of white stone, 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 as gatekeepers, but also common in rural areas ...

Question 6: What does a real lion mean? In the text of Two Little Lions, a real lion refers to an excellent lion who has learned life skills.

Question 7: Is this picture a lion or something? What does this mean? 10 In medieval England, the lion was once regarded as a symbol of the majesty of the British royal force. When Henry II was in power, there were three lions on the British royal weapons. Up to now, the jerseys of the British national football team also have lion patterns. British animal historian O'Reagan told reporters that in ancient times, the life of the British royal family was very luxurious. Lions are "the king's pets" and are kept in the Tower of London. In addition to watching, they have also become a show of royal authority. Personally, I think it represents power, rule and strength!

Question 8: What does the sleeping lion mean? What is the symbolic significance? It means sleeping lion. Napoleon said that China was a sleeping lion, and once he woke up, the world was shocked. The symbolic meaning is that the lion is asleep or the lion is the king of beasts.

Question 9: What does it mean to have a lion in your hand?

Question 10: What does a lion mean? Lions are first and foremost a symbol of authority.

The lion looks fierce, brave and unstoppable, and is the king of all animals. Around the world, people regard lions as auspicious animals, and lion statues can be seen everywhere on five continents.

Although lions are not a local product of China, China has a unique lion culture, and lion dances will be held all over the country during the festival. People put on colorful lion coats and imitate lions to walk, sit, throw balls and jump. Among them, the dance of "two lions playing hydrangea" means endless life, family reproduction and social prosperity. The picture of the lion rolling hydrangea in auspicious patterns has the same meaning. The image of a lion often appears in Buddhist classics and Buddhist statues. Manjusri Bodhisattva, a wise Buddha, takes the lion as its mount, thus adding auspicious meaning to the lion.

On the left is a lion and on the right is a lioness.

In China, the ancients believed that lions could not only ward off evil spirits, but also bring auspicious atmosphere. The combination of lion culture and Kanyu culture has produced a brilliant urban housing treasure ―― lion statues of various materials and shapes. It not only appeared outside the halls of palaces and large families, but also appeared at the gates of some temples, tombs and bridges, and a pair of majestic lion statues were placed.

Ancient officials and extended families were the ruling class and aristocratic class of society. Lions occupied the supreme position among all animals, and lion statues also became a symbol of authority. The lion statue outside the government gate has also become an official. The lion on the left side of the palace represents the "Taishi" and is the highest official rank in the court; The lion on the right stands for "Shao Bao" and is the bodyguard of the Crown Prince. Anyone who has been to the Forbidden City in Beijing knows that there are a pair of bronze lions in front of the Hall of Supreme Harmony, which are majestic and tall and beautifully cast.

The lion on the left is a lion, teasing the hydrangea with its right paw, symbolizing authority, while the lion on the right is a lioness, teasing the little lion with its left paw, symbolizing generations to come.

In ancient dwellings, the role of placing lion statues is mainly to suppress evil spirits, so that evil spirits outside the door dare not enter the house to disturb the people. Modern people also like to put lion statues, but because many people don't understand lion culture and geomantic omen, they abuse and put lion statues at will, which makes the mighty lion statues lose their due "function"

Lions can be placed in the southeast and northwest.

Some books in Hong Kong and Taiwan believe that the lion statue should be placed in the northwest and the west, because the lion was introduced to China from the western regions, so the northwest and the west are its most familiar and active positions and can occupy a geographical position. There is some truth in this statement, but the placement method of lion statues is not so rigid. In terms of orientation, lion statues can be placed in all directions. For example, in ancient China, most yamen faced south, and there were lion statues beside the south gate.

Placement of lion statues should consider the terrain.

It is more important to consider the terrain when placing lion statues. Generally speaking, the place should be high rather than low, and there should be open space in front. Only when the lion statue is condescending can it show extraordinary momentum, and only when the space is large enough can the lion be used. Some people put the lion statue in a low and narrow space, but it has formed a pattern of "the lion is trapped". Modern houses can be blocked by lion statues if they encounter unfavorable situations such as straight roads and diagonal corners. If the unfavorable factors come from the north, stone lions and jade lions can be placed in the north; If you come from the west, you can put a red lion in the west; If it is from the south, you can put the black lion in the south; If you are from the East, you can put the bronze lion and the white lion in the East.

At the same time, lion statues must be placed in pairs to distinguish between men and women. When placed, it must be left male and right female, and it must not be misplaced. Generally speaking, lion statues placed indoors should face outward, not indoors. In addition, the lion statue should be placed steadily, and don't move casually after choosing a good position. As long as it is placed correctly, the lion statue, the treasure of the town house, will bring you great security.