lion dog mythology

In Greek mythology, Hera was the Nemean lion’s godmother who asked Gaia and Tartarus for creating a god/monster Typhon who would be the future father of the Nemean lion. Griffin – A creature that has the front quarters of an eagle and the hind quarters of a lion. [7] Used only indoors until the 14th century, they were made mainly of wood. In Greek mythology, Cerberus (/ ˈ s ɜːr b ər ə s /; Greek: Κέρβερος Kérberos), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. In Japan, too it ended up being installed at the entrance of shrines and temples next to the lion-dog. Its head resembles that of a hyena and it has cloven hooves, a horse-like mane, and a tail that resembles that of a lion. H The townspeople then built a large stone shisa to protect it from the dragon's spirit and other threats. Although primarily based on the Asiatic lion, Shishi often share visual similarities with both tigers and dogs. Cerberus Perhaps the most well known and famous of all dog-like mythological creatures is the three headed hound of the Underworld, Cerberus. In magic typology, they are sometimes also classified as gargoyle beasts. If you have ever been in China, you must have seen them: a pair of ferocious, flat-muzzled, lion-like stone creatures that stand at both sides of entrances and paths. There are about 30 thousand Inari shrines in Japan, and the entrance of each is guarded by a pair of fox statues. Allison on August 30, 2017: This is some cool names! [6] The tradition later arrived in China where it developed into the guardian lion that was later exported to Korea, Japan, and Okinawa. Open-mouthed shisa on a traditional tile roof in Okinawa Prefecture. One had its mouth open and was called shishi (獅子, lion) because, as before, it resembled that animal. The pattern is Buddhist in origin (see the article about the Niō, human-form guardians of Buddhist temples) and has a symbolic meaning: The open mouth is pronouncing the first letter of the Sanskrit alphabet, which is pronounced "a", while the closed one is uttering the last letter, which is pronounced "um", to represent the beginning and the end of all things. Kodjo: This is such a hip sounding name, and it comes from Africa like lions do. Komainu – The pair of lion-dogs that guard the entrances of temples. The Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology uses a stylised Shisa as its logo. [7] In Asia, the lion was popularly believed to have the power to repel evil, and for this reason it was habitually used to guard gates and doors. Apart from its three heads, Cerberus has the tail of a serpent, a mane of snakes and the claws of a lion. Originating from Greek culture, Cerberus is the offspring of the great monsters Typhon and Echidna. 12. Hey person below on July 16, 2017: V Yeah, but ORIGINAL names are good too. The word “mythology” comes from ancient Greece, combining mythos (story of the people) with logos (words, speech, or reason).All civilizations have had their myths and folktales, complete with supernatural humans and animals whose experiences are thought to have shaped the world as we know it. "un" shape) or referred to collectively as a-un.[3]. Konoha-tengu – A bird-like Tengu. Komainu (狛犬), often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance or the honden, or inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the public. Media related to Inari fox statues at Wikimedia Commons, On the fusion of Shintō and Buddhism, see the article, Culture of the lion around the world; roots of the shisa, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Komainu&oldid=990132033, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Articles with unsourced statements from January 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 23 November 2020, at 00:15. In the most popular account, Heracles was told by Hades he could have Cerberus if he defeated the animal using only the weapons he carried with him. In mythology, the Chimera was perceived as a danger to Lycia (today’s Turkey). Top Mythical Dog Names . The Lioness represents hunting, sisterhood and prowess. Calygreyhound – A mythical creature described as having the head of a wildcat, the torso of a deer or antelope, the claws of an eagle as its forefeet, ox hooves, antlers or horns on its head, the hind legs of a lion or ox and its tail like a lion or poodle. This boulder and the dragon's body became covered with plants and surrounded by trees, and can still be seen today as the "Gana-mui Woods" near Naha Ohashi bridge. (however, exceptions exist, where both komainu have their mouth either open or closed.[2]). In this, they blend with an alternate myth which has a lion-god known as Aker perform the same service. The crocotta has the body of an extremely large dog,sometimes as large as a mule. When a Chinese emissary returned from a voyage to the court at Shuri Castle, he brought a gift for the king, a necklace decorated with a figurine of a shisa. Lion is wise like an ancient sage. People place pairs of shisa on their rooftops or flanking the gates to their houses, with the left shisa traditionally having a closed mouth, the right one an open mout… Hercules' twelfth task was to capture Cerberus, and bring him to Eurystheus. During the early Heian period (ninth century), the tradition changed and the two statues started to be different and be called differently. [11] Although visible genitals are rare, the left fox is believed to be male, the right one female.[13]. Yaese, and suggested that the townspeople build a stone shisa to face the mountain. Ultimately, Pegasus and Bellerophon slayed the mythical Chimera. ŁäŁä on December 14, 2017: Man I really like these names. In Greek mythology. She is depicted as a monster with the head and body of a lion, a goat’s head on her back, and the hindquarters of a dragon or serpent. While historians doubt a storyteller known as Aesop actually lived, Aesop’s Fables have been popular stories with children and adults for centuries, their contents teaching valuable morals. 10. A massive boulder then fell from heaven and crushed the dragon's tail, so that he couldn't move, and eventually died. Hardly anyone would dare to face a lion, even Greek mythology emphasizes this fact in the story of Hercules and his first labor. The hound of Hades, which is the child of two monsters, Typhon and Echidna, is depicted as a monster with three heads, a serpent as its tail and a body from which snakes come out. [11] White foxes are messengers of the kami, who is sometimes himself believed to be, and portrayed as, a fox. Cupcake: This sounds like the name of a kitten and not a lion. The most frequent variant of the komainu theme is the fox, guardian of shrines dedicated to kami Inari. During the Heian period (794–1185), for example, wooden or metal pairs were employed as weights and door-stops, while at the Imperial Palace they were used to support screens or folding screens. He believed they were because of the power of the nearby Mt. The lion, similarly to the horse, is the animal symbolizing strength, bravery and ferocity. Foo dog definition is - a mythical lion-dog used as a decorative motif in Far Eastern art. In the past, the pixiu has been used to boost the loyalty and morale of soldiers. [6] Numerous statuary of Chinese guardian lions exist, which are often called "Fu Dogs" "Foo Dogs", "Fu Lions", "Fo Lions", and "Lion Dogs". Komainu (狛犬), often called lion-dogs in English, are statue pairs of lion-like creatures either guarding the entrance or the honden, or inner shrine of many Japanese Shinto shrines or kept inside the inner shrine itself, where they are not visible to the public. [6], At Tomimori Village near Kochinda Town in the far southern part of Okinawa, there were often many fires. 8. The Chimera / Chimaera Mythological lions. One of the most prominent mythical monsters in Greek mythology, Cerberus, also known as Kerberos, is the giant hound with three heads guarding the gates of the underworld in Greek mythology. One day, the king was visiting the village, and one of these attacks happened; all the people ran and hid. 9. There are a variety of accounts covering how Heracles captured Cerberus. "a" shape) and ''un-gyō (吽形, lit. If you see this in a shop, they are often sold in sets of two – one male and one female. The local noro had been told in a dream to instruct the king when he visited to stand on the beach and lift up his figurine towards the dragon; she sent the boy, Chiga, to tell him the message. In this version, Heracles uses his lion-skin shield to protect himself from two of the dog’s heads as he chokes the third one. A fox in front of an Inari shrine with a key in its mouth, Pair of fox guardians with kit at Numazu Aratama Inari Jinja, Detail view of the right fox guardian of the shrine Aratama Inari Jinja in Numazu with visible male genitalia, Detail view of the left fox guardian of the shrine Aratama Inari Jinja in Numazu with kit, Komainu outside the gate of Saikouji in Toyohashi, Detail view of right Komainu outside the gate of Saikouji in Toyohashi with visible male genitalia, Detail view of left Komainu outside the gate of Saikouji in Toyohashi with cub. Lion lover on December 17, 2017: The names Kion, Loki, and Zues are totally awesome! Komainu strongly resemble Chinese guardian lions and in fact originate from Tang dynasty China. Varieties of shisa (excluding the dragon) at a shop. [4] Others believe the female has her mouth closed to "keep in the good", while the male has his mouth open to "scare away the bad"[5] (Compare this to the distinction between male and female guardian lions in Chinese culture). [1] The open mouth shisa traditionally wards off evil spirits, and the closed mouth shisa keeps good spirits in. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Netsuke: masterpieces from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Shisa&oldid=974280758, Articles containing Japanese-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 22 August 2020, at 03:18. In Norse mythology, Odin rode an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir, first accounted for in the 13th century. Often the foxes wear red votive bibs similar to those worn by statues of other figures: for example, the Buddhist bodhisattva figure Jizō. Axehandle hound. "Wind lion god" shisa in Kinmen Island, Republic of China. Icelandic folklore claims that Asbyrgi, a horse-shaped canyon in the northern part of … They are a mythological Chinese lion, though many depictions of them bear more similarity to dogs than felines. 11. Harpies are female monsters in the Greek… [8] Gradually the animals returned to be identical, but for their mouths, and ended up being called both komainu.[8]. In early lumberjack folklore, you’ll find various “fearsome critters.” The Axehandle … There are several mythological creatures that are half humans and half birds. This is a very common characteristic in religious statue pairs at both temples and shrines. Whiskers: Cat names for a lion are a rather ironic choice. The Crocotta (or corocotta, crocuta, leucrocotta, or yena), is a globally distributed mythical dog-wolf originating inIndia as well as Ethiopia. Africa: Lions live in Africa, so this is a good name choice. During the Nara period (710–794), as in the rest of Asia, the pair always consisted of two lions. Shisa (シーサー, Shīsā, Okinawan: shiisaa) is a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions, often seen in similar pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. Shíshī (石狮/石獅) are also known as Fu/Foo Lions, Lions of Buddha, or Chinese guardian lions. [11] Often one, and sometimes both, has a sūtra roll, a key or a jewel in its mouth (sūtras are Buddhist texts, a fact which attests to the Buddhist origins of the Inari cult[11][12]). The first type, born during the Edo period, is called sandō komainu (参道狛犬, visiting road Komainu), the second and much older type jinnai komainu (陣内狛犬, shrine inside komainu). [3] Gender is variously assigned to the shisa. The statues do not symbolize the animals' proverbial malice, but the magic powers they are believed to possess. Lion carries himself like a regal and mighty King. Meant to ward off evil spirits, modern komainu statues usually are almost identical, but one has the mouth open, the other closed Lioness: Keep it simple with a name like lioness. Lexie_Lion_LoD on January 16, 2018: love the names. The first one was supposedly made by a god who created it from a boy's stone dog toy. [5] The Chinese guardian lions are believed to have been influenced by lion pelts and lion depictions introduced through trade from either the Middle East or India, countries where the lion existed and was a symbol of strength. He faced the monster with the figurine held high, and immediately a giant roar sounded all through the village, a roar so deep and powerful that it even shook the dragon. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils. This category has the following 2 subcategories, out of 2 total. [9] As a protection against exposure to Japan's rainy weather, the komainu started being carved in stone. Cerberus then submits to Heracles. According to this myth, Hades still opposed Heracles taking Cerberus, so he shot … The king found it charming and wore it underneath his clothes. The first lion statue in India appears around the 3rd century BC on top of a column erected by King Ashoka. In Japan, they are sometimes referred to as Komainu, which translates to '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. Fang: This name comes from the lion’s fangs. This is a list of dogs from mythology, including dogs, beings who manifest themselves as dogs, beings whose anatomy includes dog parts, and so on. Shisa are wards, believed to protect from some evils. Some Okinawans believe the male has his mouth closed to keep bad out of the home, while the female has her mouth open to share goodness. The three-headed dog of Greek mythology, Cerberus, guarded the entrance to the underworld, allowing spirits to enter but never leave. He has the bravery of a lion and the loyalty of a dog, and can also travel through heaven and earth according to the mythology. Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mythological dogs. Starting from the Edo period (1603–1868) other animals have been used instead of lions or dogs, among others wild boars, tigers, dragons and foxes. The steed is referred to as "the best of all horses" and described as gray colored. Cerberus is the three-headed dog of Greek mythology that guards the entrance of the underworld allowing our spirits to enter but never leave. Lion represents the spirit, totem and power animal attributes of royalty, wealth, ferocity, sun and solar energy, courage, esteem, mastering emotions. Like the komainu ("lion dogs"), the shisa are a variation of the guardian lions from China. They did so, and thus have protected their village from fire ever since.[7]. [4] Together they form the sound Aum, a syllable sacred in several religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism. According to Greek mythology, Cerberus is the three-headed dog that guards the entrance to the Underworld, where the dead are allowed to enter but no one is allowed to leave. If the triple-cranium doesn’t put you down, the mane of snakes, lion claws and serpent tail will probably make you get your move out of there. People place pairs of shisa on their rooftops or flanking the gates to their houses, with the left shisa traditionally having a closed mouth, the right one an open mouth. Chinese guardian lions, known as Shishi (Chinese: 石獅; pinyin: shíshī; literally "stone lion") or Imperial guardian lion, and often called "Foo Dogs" in the West, are a common representation of The lion in pre-modern China. Konaki-jiji – This yokai disguises itself as an abandoned baby and cries until someone picks it up, then crushes them. The two forms are called a-gyō (阿形, lit. The shīsā (シーサー), the stone animals that in Okinawa guard the gates or the roofs of houses, are close relatives of the shishi and the komainu, objects whose origin, function and symbolic meaning they share. Subcategories. This mythical beast was probably introduced to Japan from China via Korean in the 7th or 8th century AD, during the same period as Buddhism’s transmission to Japan, for the Japanese shishi combines elements of both the Korean "Koma-inu" (Korean dog) and Chinese "Kara-shishi" (Chinese lion). Hera, angry with Zeus, sent the beast to Nemea, i.e., to the place where the temple devoted to the most important god was situated. Sometimes the guardians are painted, and in that case they are always white. Gajasimha – A creature that has the head of an elephant and the body of a lion. Hades was the god of the underworld. The Chimera is a hybrid feline creature in Greek mythology. At the Naha Port bay, the village of Madanbashi was often terrorized by a sea dragon who ate the villagers and destroyed their property. In magic typology, they are sometimes also classified as gargoylebeasts. Ubiquitous as they are now at shrines, Komainu have been used outdoors only since the 14th century. . The Fu Dog is a creature with origins in Chinese mythology, legend and folklore. During its transportation along the Silkroad, however, the symbol changed[citation needed], acquiring a distinctive look. . The outgrowth of that myth has those lion-forms take on a life of their own as the guardians of the horizon, protecting the sun-god Ra in his rising and setting. In this case, however, the bibs seem to be purely a rite, whose origins are unclear. [10] Their name itself is centuries old regional variant of shishi-san (獅子さん, Mr. Lion Meaning. [2] From the Edo period, they started to be called "guardian dogs" in general in mainland Japan. Shisa (シーサー, Shīsā, Okinawan: shiisaa) is a traditional Ryukyuan cultural artifact and decoration derived from Chinese guardian lions, often seen in similar pairs, resembling a cross between a lion and a dog, from Okinawan mythology. Fu Dogs: Unfailing Entrance Guards. Koromodako – An octopus-like Yokai that lives in the waters bordering Kyoto and Fukui. Here are some more part lion creatures of myth. Badass Dog Names from Mythology for Big Dogs Cerberus - Greek mythological "Hound of Hades." 7. The people of the area sought out Saiouzui, a Feng Shui master, to ask him why there were so many fires. `` the best of all horses '' and described as gray colored the symbol changed [ citation needed ] acquiring. Lions, lions of Buddha, or Chinese guardian lions humans and birds... Always white definition is - a mythical lion-dog used as a protection against exposure to Japan rainy! 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