Carving or sculpture characteristics and differences between the South and North

En, let me provide you with some information "stone lions in the north and south reflect the different interests of China's historical monuments"

Stone lions into the lion to ward off evil beasts lions, which is the Chinese people venerate, believe in the good luck, with the meaning of suppressing the evil, dispelling the evil, and blessing.

Stone lions, originating from the architectural decoration of the Han Dynasty, were developed under the influence of the real lions paid tribute by the ancient Persian state. According to the "Hou Han Shu - Western Region Biography" in the record: "East Han Emperor Zhang and the first year (AD 87) ...... Yuezhi country (now Kashmir and Afghanistan) sent envoys to dedicate the Fu Bashi (lion) son"; "Zhang and the second year, winter October Bhai, Anshi state (the name of the ancient Persian state) sent an envoy to offer Shi (lion) Zi Fubu".

Stone lions are mostly decorated in ancient tombs, ancestral halls, temples, pagodas and other places, as the guardian of the gate to ward off evil spirits. Stone lion modeling squatting vertical, squatting, horizontal, line leaping, inverted crawling, etc., the shape of large and small, each with its own form, and most of the round carving process techniques, supplemented by relief, line carving, etc.. Its stone both lapis lazuli, alabaster, marble and white jade.

Stone lion north-south style differences in the history of China's stone carving, the Sui and Tang dynasties is the most flourishing period of stone lion art, to the Yuan, Ming and Qing dynasties, stone lion modeling art tends to be solemn and gorgeous, towards the direction of the development of delicate and slender, and the formation of a slight difference between north and south of the style.

Southern stone lions in Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan and other places, the shape of delicate and slender, rounded and soft, with dynamic changes. Northern stone lions are simple and rugged, powerful and strong and plagiarized, both Qin Yu type, Jin Lu type, but also Beijing type. But in general, the northern stone lion is the authentic source of China's stone lions, especially Beijing-type stone lions for the most, mostly escort type court lion, dignified, rules, generally carved in the head and neck with iguana hair, tail upturned to the femur, the neck tie embroidered belt, chest hanging bells, and then divided into the celluloid, the image of vivid and lively, strong and solid. Typical of the two pairs of large stone lions in front of Tiananmen Square in Beijing. This stone lion is a guardian type, for the whole piece of white jade carved from, ornate and exquisite decoration, carving fine and pure, showing its royal style.

Stone lion culture is very inherent charm of China's vast territory, the folk customs are different, so in addition to a variety of architectural stone lions, the ancients out of the worship of the lion, but also derived from a number of practical stone lions, but the size is relatively small. For example, "paperweight stone lion", "town shed stone lion", "pressure curtain stone lion" and so on. It is said that in northern Shaanxi Luochuan area of the countryside, the old also popular a called "pit head stone lion", that is, tied to the children's pits on the small stone lions, in order to seek refuge from the beast. Most of these small stone lion childish simplicity, delicate and well-behaved, very inner charm, thus creating a colorful stone lion culture.