Chinese Temple Pillar with Foo Lion

Someone is riding the lion. The lion appears to have accepted this.

This temple pillar with foo lion is stone, from Shanxi Province, China, 17th century. Paired lions have guarded Chinese gates and temples for many centuries. At the top of a tall square shaft, a lion crouches under a small seated rider in a ribbed pointed hat. The shaft is dressed with fine horizontal tooling and sits in a square plinth bordered by a key-fret band. Ninety inches high.

Seven and a half feet is a good height for keeping an eye on things.