Dog in Chinese mythology an apotropaic magic act meant to drive away evil spirits. Paper dogs were also provided for protecting the dead. (Eberhard, 2003: 80) Numerous statuary of Chinese guardian lions exist, which are often called ""Fu Dogs"" ""Foo Dogs"", ""Fu Lions"", ""Fo Lions"", and ""Lion Dogs"". Modern lions are not native in the area of China, except perhaps the extreme west; however, their existence was well known, and associated symbolism and ideas about lions were familiar; however, in China, artistic representations of lions tended to be dog-like. Indeed, "[t]he 'lion' which we see depicted in Chinese paintings and in sculpture bears little
Dog in Chinese mythology to its descendant. Anthony C. Yu, editor and translator of "Journey to the West" associates this bird with the "ts'ang kêng" of Chinese mythology (1980: Volume III, 441, note 5 on chapter 63). The Tiangou ("Heavenly Dog") has been said to resemble a black dog or meteor, which is thought to eat the sun or moon during an eclipse, unless frightened away. According to the myths of various ethnic groups, a dog provided humans with the first grain seeds enabling the seasonal cycle of planting, harvesting, and replanting staple agricultural products by saving some of the seed grains to replant,