Blanc De Chine Dog of Fo, 18th Century

Ref: U997

Chinese blanc de chine dog of Fo, 18th century, with the dog's right paw resting on a ball, a trailing ribbon in his mouth, his collar with three tassels, seated on a quadrangular high base.

Dimensions:

Height: 17.4cm. (10 ¾ in.)

Condition:

Chip with 2 hairlines to joss stick holder, restoration to collar, tongue, headdress, tail, glazecracks to base

Notes:

Fo means 'happiness' in Chinese, and these guardian dogs are said to bring good fortune. They would traditionally be found in pairs at the entrance to temples, the female dog shown with a puppy under her front paw, the male dog with a brocade ball as seen here. In China they are generally referred to as 'rui shi' (auspicious lions). They are generally arranged (if you were to look at the temple entrance from outside) with the female lion on the left and the male on the right, as according to the principles of feng shui this will increase their beneficial impact.