Chinese Lions - Kendal, Cumbria UK
Posted by: 
martlakes
N 54° 19.173 W 002° 44.703
30U E 516583 N 6019105
A pair of matching, golden lions guard the entrance to this restaurant in the traditional way.
Waymark Code: WM340F
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/05/2008
Views: 17
The River Fortune Chinese restaurant stands next to the river on the road south out of town. The lions stand either side of the entrance greeting visitors and protecting the building. They are a traditional Chinese design, both have a raised paw on different objects.
"The lion is a special animal to Chinese people. A pair of stone lions, a male and a female, can often be seen in front of the gates of traditional buildings. The male lion is on the left with his right paw resting on a ball, and the female on the right with her left paw fondling a cub.
The lion was regarded as the king in the animal world so its imagines represented power and prestige. The ball played by the male lion symbolized the unity of the empire, and the cub with the female thriving offspring.
The stone lions were also used to indicate the ranks of officials by the number of lumps representing the curly hair on the head of the lion.
In the Buddhist faith, the lion is considered a divine animal of nobleness and dignity, which can protect the Truth and keep off evils." (
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