Pixiu & guardian beasts
Pixiu is the winged lion said to swallow wealth. Foo dogs are different.
Meet the beasts at the door
Pixiu
Legend gives it a huge appetite for treasure and no way to let it out. Merchants often display a pair as a wish for wealth that stays.
Stone lions
These are the so-called foo dogs. They guard gates in pairs: the male with a ball under his paw, the female with a cub.
Qilin
A hoofed, scaled beast of good omen, gentle enough to spare the grass it walks on. Often given as a wish for children.
What it takes in, it keeps.
What to look for
Pixiu & guardian beasts
Hand-picked pieces are on the way.
Good to know
What is a pixiu?
A pixiu is a Chinese mythical beast, a winged, horned lion. Folklore says it eats treasure and keeps it, so people display one as a symbol of holding on to money. That is folk belief, and it guarantees nothing.
Are foo dogs the same as pixiu?
No. Foo dogs are Chinese guardian lions, set in pairs at gates. Pixiu is a separate beast with horns and wings, tied to wealth. Foo dog is an English nickname; in Chinese they are simply stone lions.
Which way should a pixiu face?
Toward a door or window, by feng shui custom, though many say not straight at the main door. Customs differ. Many people also avoid pointing it at a bed or a mirror.
