Stone Lion on Tian'anmen Square

Among Chinese folk, the lion has become a symbol of bravery, power and good luck. Performance art also uses the figure of the lion to convey these sentiments. Folk artists created the lion dance in which the lion appears lovely and naughty, losing its dignity as the king of animals. Figures of the lion were not used exclusively by the royal families in imperial arts as were the dragonand the phoenix. They are popular among the people and are commonly seen in front of the gates of ordinary families' homes.