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
Mark Foo tribute (misspelled as "Mark Fu") on their 2000 LP Bikini Pie Fight!. The epic battle between Foo and Ken Bradshaw in the 1980s is chronicled in "Stealing the Wave" by Andy Martin (Bloomsbury Publishing). Mark Foo Mark Sheldon Foo (February 5, 1958 – December 23, 1994) was a professional surfer. Foo drowned while surfing at Mavericks, Half Moon Bay, California. Born in Singapore to Colonel Charlie Foo and Lorna Foo, Chinese photojournalists for the U.S. Information Agency, he relocated to Hawaii at age 10. Foo spent his early childhood surfing the South Shore of O'ahu. His family moved several times