Chinese guardian lions Chinese guardian lions Chinese guardian lions or Imperial guardian lions, often miscalled "Foo Dogs" in the West, are a common representation of the lion in imperial China. Chinese guardian lions are sometimes referred to in English as shishi, from the Chinese shí shī (), which refers specifically to lion sculptures in stone. The concept, which originated and became popular in Chinese Buddhism, subsequently spread to other parts of Asia including, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos and Singapore. Since the introduction of the lion symbolism during the Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 220) from
24 Hours of Foo MTV News reporter Gideon Yago, comedian and actress Janeane Garofalo, "Saturday Night Live"'s Amy Poehler and Fred Armisen, and comedian Robert Smigel as Triumph the Insult Comic Dog. MTV2 VJ Jim Shearer was master of ceremonies for the event, launching the broadcast and staying with the Foo Fighters throughout all 24 hours until the end of the show. While some viewers noted that there was not a wide selection of music played during the broadcast, others believed that "24 Hours of Foo" demonstrated MTV2 could still put together and air an unusually spectacular live special. Since "24 Hours of Foo",