Chinese Mythological Guardian Figure

One straight line for a mouth. It says plenty.

Stone, China, Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 CE): this mythological guardian figure keeps its record short. Guardian beasts were a common sight at Chinese tombs and temples, though the names attached to them shift by region and period. Here a grey, thick-set beast sits upright with a squared muzzle cut by a horizontal groove. A fine crack runs across one side of the face. The chest tapers to a point between the forelegs, the paws are just legible, and a rough block forms the base. Just under 30 inches high.

Patience is most of the job.