Традиции, обычаи и праздники Китая (Traditions, Customs and Festivals of China). Сухомлинова С.И - 90 стр.

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89
At the dawn of history China had no lions, whose habitat was
Africa and West Asia. Official contacts with countries to the west
were established after Zhang Qian (?—114B.C.) was dispatched to
Central Asia as a special envoy by Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.
In A.D. 87, when Emperor Zhang of the Eastern Han reigned in China,
the King of Parthian presented a lion to him the next year, another was
presented to the Chinese court by a Central Asian country known as
Yuezhi to ancient China.
The existence of stone lions may have preceded that of real
legends. It is believed that the earliest stone lions were sculpted at
the beginning of the Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220 A.D.) with the
introduction of Buddhism into China. Sakyamuni (founder of the
faith), it is said, was seen after his birth to point to Heaven with one
hand and to Earth with another, roaring like a lion, “Between Heaven
and Earth I alone am supreme.” Elsewhere it is also said that “Buddha
is a lion among men.” “Buddhists admiring the lion for its mighty
swiftness made it the mount for the Bodhisattva Manjusri.” In short,
the lion is regarded in the Buddhist faith as a divine animal of
nobleness and dignity, able to keep off evils and protect the Truth.
For the same reason, it was a custom to use figures of the lion to
decorate certain structures, especially stone bridges. A most
prominent example is the Lugouqiao or Marco Polo Bridge near
Beijing. Adorning the heads of its stone balusters are 501 lions of
varying sizes and postures.
As further proof of the general liking for the animal, the knobs of
seals are often sculpted in the form of lions. Among folk dances, the
lion dance, which was known as early as the Han Dynasty, has
remained popular ever since.
Task 4. Decide whether the following statements are true or
false. Explain your answer.
1. Stone lions were used as religious sculptures in the Buddhist
temples.
2. Every peasant in China could have stone lions in front of his house.
3. The lion was considered to be the supreme animal.
4. Stone lions were used to show a respect.
5. The image of lion is widely spread in different things and
traditions.
6. Use of the lions was the exclusive privilege of the court. 
        At t he daw n o f his tory C hina had no lio ns, whose hab itat was
Africa a nd West As ia. Offic ia l c ontacts wit h co unt ries to t he west
were establis hed a fter Zha ng Q ia n (?—114 B.C.) was d ispatc hed to
Cent ra l As ia as a specia l e nvo y b y Empe ror W u o f t he Ha n D ynast y.
In A.D. 87, whe n Empe ror Zha ng o f t he Eastern Ha n re igned in C hina,
the King o f Part hia n prese nted a lio n to hi m t he ne xt yea r, ano t her was
presented to t he C hinese co urt b y a Centra l As ia n co untry k now n as
Yuez hi to a nc ie nt C hina.
        The e xiste nce o f sto ne lio ns ma y ha ve preceded t hat o f rea l
le ge nds. It is be lie ved t ha t t he earliest sto ne lio ns were sc ulpted a t
the be ginning o f t he Eastern Ha n Dynast y (25 - 220 A.D.) w it h t he
introd uc t io n o f Budd his m into C hina. Sak ya muni (fo under o f t he
fa it h), it is sa id, was see n a fter his b irt h to po int to Hea ve n w it h o ne
ha nd a nd to Eart h w it h a not her, ro aring like a lio n, “ Betwee n Hea ve n
and Eart h I a lo ne a m supre me.” Els ewhere it is a lso said t hat “ Budd ha
is a lio n a mo ng me n.” “ Bud d hist s ad miring t he lio n for its might y
swift ness made it t he mo unt for t he Bod hisatt va Ma nj usri.” In s ho rt,
the lio n is re garded in t he Budd hist fa it h as a d ivine a nima l o f
nob le ness and d ignit y, ab le to keep o ff e vils and protect t he Trut h.
        For t he sa me reaso n, it was a custom to use figures o f t he lio n t o
decorate certa in struct ures, especia lly sto ne b rid ges.                    A most
pro mine nt e xa mp le is t he Lugo uqiao o r Marco Po lo Brid ge nea r
Be ij ing. Ad orning t he heads o f it s stone ba lusters are 501 lio ns o f
varying s izes and post ures.
        As furt her proo f o f t he ge ne ra l lik ing fo r t he ani ma l, t he k nobs o f
seals are o fte n sculpted in t he fo rm o f lio ns. A mo ng fo lk da nces, t he
lio n da nce, whic h was kno w n as early as t he Ha n D ynast y, has
re ma ined pop ula r eve r since.

       Task 4. Decide whether the foll o win g statements are true or
false. Explain your answer.
1. Sto ne lio ns we re used as re ligio us sculpt ures in t he Budd his t
te mp les.
2. Every peasa nt in C hina co uld ha ve stone lio ns in fro nt o f his ho use.
3. The lio n was cons ide red to be the supre me a nima l.
4. Stone lio ns were used to show a respect.
5. The ima ge o f lio n is w ide ly spread in d iffe re nt t hings a nd
trad it io ns.
6. Use of the lio ns was the e xc lus ive privile ge o f t he co urt.


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