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
Shishi (organization) Shishi (organization) , sometimes known as , were a group of Japanese political activists of the late Edo period. The term "shishi" translates as "men of high purpose". While it is usually applied to the anti-shogunate, pro-"sonnō jōi" (尊皇攘夷; "Revere the Emperor, Expel the Barbarian[s]") samurai primarily from the southwestern clans of Satsuma, Chōshū, and Tosa, the term "shishi" is also used by some with reference to supporters of the shogunate who held similar "sonnō jōi" views. There were many different varieties of "shishi". Some, such as the assassins Kawakami Gensai, Nakamura Hanjirō, Okada Izō, and Tanaka Shinbei, opted for