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 High School its name to Chengdu No. 4 Middle School (成都第四中学). During the Cultural Revolution the school was devastated for the third time; none of the Qing Dynasty buildings still exist. It returned to its former name in April 1983. Shishi ranks among the top 100 high schools in China. Its admission is highly selective, and attracts applications each year from both local and neighboring middle schools. Most Shishi students scored among the top 10% of their peers on the junior middle school exit exam. Shishi High School Shishi High School () is a state secondary school in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. It