Since the introduction from Indian culture of the lion as a auspicious symbol of power and protection, statues of guardian lions have been traditionally erected by the facade of Chinese Imperial palaces, of Imperial mausoleums and tombs, of government offices, temples and the private residence of government officials and the most wealthy.
Such lions are traditionally carved out of decorative stones, such as marble and granite or are cast in bronze or iron.
Because of the great cost of these materials and the labor required to produce them, private use of guardian lions was traditionally reserved for wealthy or elite families. Indeed, a traditional symbol of a family's wealth or social status was the placement of guardian lions in front of the family residence. The lions are always presented in pairs, a manifestation of yin and yang, the female representing yin and the male yang. Although the form of the Chinese guardian lion was quite varied during its early history in China, the appearance, pose and various attributes of the lions eventually became standardized and completely formalized during the Ming and Qing dynasties.