page_title: Snow Lion
section_title: In Buddhist art
hierarchical_section_title: Snow Lion / In Buddhist art
caption_attribution_description: English: Large Chinese stone lion protects the entrance to the Potala Palace in Tibet. Chinese imitation of 15th century Tibetan lion gate guardian (Asian), created in the 1990's.
context_page_description: The Snow Lion, sometimes also Snowlion, is a celestial animal of Tibet. It is the emblem of Tibet, representing the snowy mountain ranges and glaciers of Tibet, and may also symbolize power and strength, and fearlessness and joy, east and the earth element. It is one of the Four Dignities. It ranges over the mountains, and is commonly pictured as being white with a turquoise mane. In Journey to the West published in 1592, Snow Lion is depicted as one of Yōkais.
context_section_description: The lion was adopted as a symbol of Shakyamuni Buddha in early Buddhism; it is also depicted as a vehicle for a number of Vajrayana deities such as Vaishravana and Manjushri, and the lion throne may be found in many nirmanakaya Buddha forms.  The lion in India art is represented in Tibetan Buddhist art as the Snow Lion.  The Snow Lion is the protector of Buddha and in paintings and sculpture is usually seen as holding up the Buddha's throne (one on the left and one on the right of the throne.)  The throne of a Buddha may also be depicted with eight Snow Lions representing the 8 main Bodhisattvas of Buddha Shakyamuni.
  The body of the Snow Lion is white while its flowing hair of mane, tail and curls on legs, is either blue or green. While most Snow Lions are gender neutral in Buddhist art there are some that are represented as obviously male and some as obviously female. When represented as a symmetrical pair the male is on the left and the female on the right. Sculptural Snow Lions are often in repousse metal that has been gilt and painted.
caption: Chinese stone lion at guard the entrance to the Potala Palace
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