This carved jade figure of a reclining Fu-dog (Lion dog) reveals the technological prowess of the Ming dynasty through its ability to render such a sophisticated design in jade. The jade has been used throughout Chinese history to indicate an individual of moral quality, and has also served as an important symbol of rank. They were used in worship and ceremony – as ceremonial items they symbolised the ranks of emperor and kings. As laboriously crafted objects, they testify to the concentration of power and resources in the hands of a small elite. Fu-dog or Lion dog, as the Chinese imperial guardian lion, is a traditional Chinese ornament. The concept, which originated and became popular in Chinese Buddhism, features a pair of Asiatic lions — often one male with a ball that represents the material elements and one female with a cub that represents the element of spirit — that were thought to protect from harmful spiritual influences and harmful people that might be a threat.