The Chinese Lion Dog, or Shih Tzu
In Chinese, Shih Tzu actually translates as Lion Dog. The name is often mispronounced in the west; the Chinese pronunciation sounds more like "sher-zer" than the nearly rude western translation. The dog has also been called the Chrysanthemum Dog or the Lhasa Lion Dog.
This breed is actually a cross bewtween the Lhasa Apso and the Pekingese. Centuries ago the Lhasa Apso resided in the great monasteries of Tibet and the Pekingese resided in the great courts in China. His Holiness The Dali Lama, from time to time, would send some of Tibet's most precious dogs to the rulers of China as a special gift. After the long journey to the Forbidden City in China, the Lhasa Apso would disappear inside. Inevitably, matings between the Lhasa Apso and the Pekingese occured. And the rest, as they say, is history.
This breed is held in high regard in China. The Peking Kennel Club describes it as having the head of a lion, the round face of an owl, the lustrous eyes of a dragon, the oval tongue of a peony petal, the mouth of a frog, teeth like grains of rice, ears like palm leaves, the torso of a bear, the broad back of a tiger, the tail of a Phoenix, the legs of an elephant, toes like a mountain range, a yellow coat like a camel, and the movement of a goldfish. You do not want to know what hideous looking creature I have in my head after the description, but it is not a dog. I guess the dog inspired a poetic exaggeration of minor details.
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