The Foo (or Fu) dog is also known as the lion of Buddha," and indeed it is a LION and not a Dog. Used extensively in Asian art and tattoo, the lions of BUDDHA (frequently occurring in pairs) were his divine and noble companions, protectors of the truth. Originally symbols used in Buddhism, they were adopted by the Chinese royal family as protective symbols, and also to represent imperial strength. Placed at entrances, the typical seated yet ready position of the stone statues suggests a resemblance to dogs, especially with their upraised ears and curly but subdued manes. It is not unusual to see them in male/female pairs the male with one foot on a sphere, often carved as an open lattice, which represents the totality of Buddhist law, or heaven, and the female with her foot on a cub, often depicted upside down or crawling up her leg, which represents the EARTH.