Horse hitching posts have been used in China for thousands of years. Originally, they served a purely practical function, placed outside temples and residences for visitors to tie their animals to while they went inside. However, over time, they became symbols of wealth and status, and their decoration became more complex and gained further layers of significance. Stone has been used for these objects since the 18th century, with open spaces left within the carved decoration for animals to be tethered to. This post uses the Chinese guardian lion as its primary motif. The Chinese guardian lion is an architectural motif with an extended heritage. For hundreds of years, sculptures of lions have been placed at the thresholds of buildings. Traditionally, because of the expense of the materials and labour required to create such objects, they were found in front of important or high-ranking locations, such as temples, palaces, government offices, or the homes of wealthy individuals. As guardians, they are thought to protect the structures and their inhabitants from both harmful individuals and negative spiritual energy. They often appear in pairs, one female individual and one male, representing the yin and yang. The male is usually on the right, and rests one of his front paws upon an embroidered ball. This has been seen to represent imperial supremacy over the world, but in other contexts has connotations of affection and friendship, as embroidered balls were traditionally given as gifts. He is seen as the protector of the physical structure itself. The female, usually positioned on the left, often has her paw upon a cub, symbolising nurture. She is thought of as the protector of the interior of the building, and the inhabitants within.

This lion peers out from beneath the stone column above it. The solidity of the stone, and the position of the animal as a supporter of its weight, connote the strength of the lion and its ability to act as a successful protector. Its mane is represented by tight curls, with flowing locks behind which extend across the animal’s back. Its expression is fierce, with wide-set eyes, a flattened nose, and bared teeth, and the edges of its mouth are curled upwards into a snarl. This lion has a ferocious character, sending out a warning to any person or spirit approaching with harmful intentions. Standing on top of the lion’s head is a smiling human figure, holding a vase containing flowers which fill the remaining upper space. The two sides of the column adjacent to the one with the lion are carved with Han characters.