Fu Dog Hitching Posts

This pair of 19th century sculptural posts from the Fujian region of China were originally the tops of tall columns used to hitch livestock. Plain wooden hitching posts were the standard for centuries prior to the Ming and Qing Dynasties when affluent Chinese families began to exhibit their wealth by displaying beautifully carved stone posts, like these, outside of their homes. This wide-eyed pair of mythical lion dogs or Shizi is carved in the style of very early fu dogs with pearls of wisdom in their open mouths.