Foo Dog Tattoos

Chinese guardian lions or Imperial guardian lions, often miscalled "Foo Dogs" in the West, can be found standing in the front doors of Forbidden City, Summer Palace or other historical architecture in China. In Chinese traditional culture, Foo Dogs are a common representation of the lion in imperial China. Chinese lions can be found in different artistic forms: stone sculpture, papercutting, costumes, in the traditional lion dance, etc.

The Japanese lion-dog, or komainu signifies protection, strength, and courage.