| Far away in Tibet, a country with a recorded | | | | Oddly enough, there were no actual lions in |
| history going back almost 1,500 years is | | | | Tibet, only artistic works of the animal, |
| where our Shih Tzu began. The country was | | | | which were often somewhat fantastical. We |
| noted for its devotion to Buddhism. | | | | cannot be sure whether the Lion Dogs were |
| | | | bred to resemble the drawings and statues of |
| Some of the tallest mountains in the world | | | | the symbolic lions or if the artists created |
| edge the country of Tibet. Winters in Tibet | | | | their 'lions' in the likeness of the little |
| are severe with temperatures to 14 degrees F | | | | dogs (ancestors to our Shih Tzu). |
| in December. The winds in Tibet are strong | | | | |
| and biting with hard frosts. Snowfall is | | | | The snow lion was called Gang Seng and was |
| light. In the summer, daylight temperatures | | | | considered to be so powerful that he could |
| reach a maximum of 75 degrees F with a sharp | | | | cause seven dragons to fall out of the sky |
| drop in temperature at night. Throughout | | | | with one roar. The symbolic lion was |
| most of the year there is sunshine and the | | | | believed to have the ability to walk in the |
| air is dry and pure. | | | | clouds. He could also speak with the voice |
| | | | of truth and fearlessness. |
| The people of this remote and rather | | | | |
| mysterious land of Tibet were like so many | | | | Tibet was a difficult place to get to. China |
| other cultures in our world. They kept dogs | | | | was a neighbor to Tibet. Gifts from Tibet to |
| in a domestic environment. There were large | | | | China were sent as tribute to the Chinese |
| dogs used for guarding and small, shaggy dogs | | | | emperors, among which were Tibetan Lion Dogs |
| used as companions and as watch-dogs to alert | | | | (ancestor to our Shih Tzu). |
| the larger dogs. These small dogs were the | | | | |
| ancestors of our Shih Tzu. The history of | | | | These little dogs traveled with the caravans |
| the Shih Tzu, however, is steeped in myth and | | | | on long journeys from one country to the |
| legends, which makes it difficult to sort the | | | | other. A small army of eunuchs took care of |
| true facts of our Shih Tzu. | | | | the little dogs. The little Tibetan Lion |
| | | | Dogs (ancestors to our Shih Tzu) adapted well |
| One tale in particular, which I find | | | | as they have continued to do wherever they |
| interesting, is that of the small Lion Dogs | | | | have gone to live through the centuries. |
| were trained to turn the prayer wheels as | | | | |
| part of the daily ritual in the monasteries. | | | | In China, everything must have been very |
| There was a belief that those monks whose | | | | different from Tibet. The summers in Peking |
| life had been less than exemplary, would in | | | | were warm and humid with a lot of rain. The |
| accordance with the Buddhist theory of | | | | winters were very cold, somewhat like Tibet, |
| reincarnation, be reborn as one of the temple | | | | with temperatures as low as 0 degrees F in |
| dogs. | | | | January. It is recorded that the little |
| | | | Tibetan Lion Dogs settled in and became great |
| Buddhism in Tibet recognized a large number | | | | favorites of the Manchu emperors. |
| of divine beings. Each being symbolized an | | | | |
| aspect of life. One was Buddha Manjusri, the | | | | Most likely they were interbred with the |
| God of Learning. The God of Learning was | | | | short-faced Chinese breeds - the Chinese Pug |
| said to travel with a small Lion Dog | | | | and the Pekinese, which is probably what |
| (ancestor to our Shih Tzu) that could turn | | | | gives the Shih Tzu the characteristics that |
| into a full-sized lion and carry him vast | | | | differentiate them from the Tibetan Lion Dogs |
| distances on his back. | | | | that later became the Lhasa Apsos. |
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