Guardian Lions are a common traditional element featured in Chinese folklore. They are lion-like creatures that often represent the concept of guardians protecting buildings from threats (mostly evil spirits) where they serve their duties as guardians. Despite being common in folklore, they make uncommon appearances in Disney properties - whether in sentient form or statue form.
Guardian lions are a common element featured in Chinese folklore, based on the mythological creature of the same name. True to their name, they are large lion-like creatures often serving as guardians outside temples to protect from evil spirits. Traditionally, guardian lions are often featured with two respective statues - one male (with a ball which represents the material elements) and one female (with a cub). Alternatively, they are also known as shishi, and colloquially as foo dogs (also spelled as fu dogs) or lion dogs respectively. While the term "shishi" usually translates to "lion", it can also refer to a deer or dog with magical abilities to protect buildings from evil spirits. In addition to these aforementioned names, guardian lions are also referred to by materials used to make these statues such as stone lions (made from decorative stone such as marble and granite) or bronze lions (cast from bronze or iron).
A non-sentient shishi statue was used during the climax of the film where Shang and his fellow soldiers use it to barge in the palace during the battle against Shan Yu and his Huns.
Sentient shishi reside in the mystical realm of Ta Lo where they serve as one of the creatures living there in the peaceable kingdom. In the film, shishi show a docile personality to those who gently care for them and they can come in two colored varieties: dark orange-brown and white respectively. In addition to their resemblance to lions, they are also depicted with two sharp tusks on their upper jaws as well as having the ability to run fast and jump far distances as well as having massive strength. In spite of their docile personality, shishi also become hostile whenever they get harmed like when an enemy strikes its back, it shows a hostile reaction to its enemy that attacked it. Additionally according to the Shang-Chi-inspired book Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Who Guards My Sleep, shishi also show a playful and loyal personality to protect each other and their loved ones.
The shishi are first seen in the film where Shang-Chi, Katy Chen, and Trevor Slattery arrive at the mystical world of Ta Lo with the help of Morris where the shishi and a group of villagers witness their arrival. Soon as they arrived, the shishi and the townspeople are listening to Shang-Chi discussing with Ying Nan telling her that his father Xu Wenwu was attempting to free his wife which Ying Nan guided them into the village. They later take part in a violent battle against the Ten Rings led by Wenwu where they are given battle collars on their neck by the Ta Lo villagers to protect their kingdom from danger where they and the residents of Ta Lo clash violently. They later took part in another battle against the Soul Eaters in a plan to defeat the Dweller-in-Darkness.
One gargoyle beast named "Fu-Dog" appeared in the last issue of the Gargoyles comic by Slave Labor Graphics, "Phoenix". Hence his name, Fu-Dog takes the form of a shishi-like creature (hence his name) and has green skin and a brown lion-like mane as well as a tufted tail. Additionally, Fu-Dog wears a golden collar around his neck. Though he doesn't speak, Fu-Dog shows a loyal personality to Brooklyn.
During Fu-Dog's first encounter with Brooklyn, he served as his companion and later became friends with him. Later in 1997, he returned with Brooklyn, Katana, and Nashville to Manhattan and Fu-Dog became a member of the Manhattan Clan.
Two non-sentient shishi statues appear outside the Wu residence in the flashback in the Season 2 finale episode, "True Colors". They are seen outside the house while Marcy is discussing with her parents to accept in adapting in moving to a new place which she refuses to, much to her mother telling her to wait and her father angrily telling his daughter to get back to their house. As Marcy leaves the Wu residence home, she finds a mysterious box sending her to a magical world.
Two guardian lions are seen outside the House of the Whispering Willows building in the China Pavilion at Epcot in which the building itself showcases special exhibits linked to the area's theme.
In addition to having these statues outside the House of the Whispering Willows, one of the guardian lions is used for interactive games when it comes to helping guests on their mission to solve the case of a problem running amok in the World Showcase. The ball which the guardian lion is standing on is used as a projector screen to help guests on their goals to solve the case of a problem occurring in the China Pavilion at Epcot - namely used for attractions such as Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure, Agent P's World Showcase Adventure, or DuckTales World Showcase Adventure.
Outside of the entrance of Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway (formerly The Great Movie Ride) are two guardian lions used to represent an area based on Grauman's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles where guests enter the attraction's queue.
Exclusive to the Hong Kong Disneyland version of the attraction, two guardian lions were displayed in the Asia room in a section that represents China - albeit in non-sentient form.
Concept art of the Hong Kong Disneyland attraction, Mystic Manor, shows an illustration of a guardian lion, hinting this object was to appear in the attraction, but was scrapped in the final version of the attraction. An earlier version of the Acquisitions and Cataloging room depicts a guardian lion inside where it would have been seen as one of the artifacts in the first area coming to life via music box[1]. Another concept art features the guardian lion attempting to stop Albert from closing the music box which he opened at the first place where it is seen covering his tail during the climax of the attraction. Like in the final version of the attraction when the music box is closed, the guardian lion and the rest of the inanimate objects become reverted to their lifeless forms[2]. The reason this object was scrapped is unknown.
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Fu-Dog, a gargoyle beast based on a shishi in the Slave Labor Graphics adaptation of Gargoyles
