What Are Fu (Foo) Dogs in Classical Feng Shui?

A Brief History About Fu Dogs

“Fu” in Chinese means wealth, good fortune and prosperity. Fu Dogs are known as Guardian Lions which have been used in China since the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD). Another name is Chi lins which describes a mythical creature that features aspects of a dragon horse or Chinese unicorn. The concept became popular in Chinese Buddhism, subsequently spreading to other parts of Asia including, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Thailand, Burma, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos and Singapore.

Traditionally, Fu Dogs were placed in front of Imperial palaces, temples, and government offices. In modern day times, Fu Dogs come in various sizes and designs; miniature statues, bookends, door knobs, artwork, prints, decals, etc.

What To know when selecting your Fu Dogs

My client is in process of purchasing Fu Dogs and texted me, “How can I tell which Fu Dog is male and female? Do I need to have two of them?”

Answer: Yes, you always need two Fu Dogs as they represent the polarities of humanity and nature. If you happen to come across large Fu Dog statues, they tend to be anatomically correct, yet that is not the most polite way to check. So instead, direct your eyes to the Fu Dog’s paws.

Male: can be recognized with his right paw resting on a globe that represents protecting worldly wisdom. Depending on who manufactures the Fu Dog statue, some may even provide the “Flower of Life” design on the globe.

Female: can be recognized with her left paw pressing down on a cub (“demon”), which symbolizes protecting the home and removing negative energy.

Interesting observation: If one of your Fu Dogs has an open mouth, and the other has a closed one, this may represent the in-and-out breath, or the sound “om.”

How to Position your Fu Dogs

Traditionally, it’s recommended that you place the Fu Dogs by the front entrance from outside, making sure the heads of the Fu Dogs face outward.

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How Much Effort is Required to Transform The Energy of Your Home and Self With Feng Shui?

To segue into this question, I invite you to read a brief true story. As I was shopping at Lowe's within the garden section of the store, I came across the Clearance Rack and found various flowers and plants that have been greatly discounted because they appeared to be on their last licks of life. 

I prefer purchasing from this section because on a very practical level, you save money, and on a spiritual level, it provides a simple, yet profound lesson.  There was a half dozen annuals that seemed pretty worn down. One of the employees was standing near by and saw me pick up the batch. She stepped a bit closer to me, leaned in, and said softly near my ear, "it's too bad they are finished blooming and will not make it." And then walked away. 

I kindly disregarded her comment and whispered to the stunted pink annuals, "forgive her, she does not see the potential in your ability to grow." So, I happily adopted them, along with another wilted plant. To provide a more solid environment of nourishment, I also bought organic soil to feed the baby plants and made sure to mindfully place them within my yard that would allow the most sufficient opportunity for growth according to the amount of light needed. After settling them back into the earth, I tended to them daily for about a week. Watering them for a moment or two during the morning hours, while also checking to make sure the leaves were lifting upward and to see if the vibrancy of color was returning to the plants aura. 

I'm happy to report, the pink annuals and salvia plant have become stronger in their presence and more brilliant with the color in their leaves and blooming flowers.  Do I still tend to them? Of course, but now they are more self-sufficient and do not require as much vigorous attention. It's more about maintaining.  

From this story you can see It does not require much to encourage positive transformation. Being present and taking small simple steps is what contributes to the overall picture.  As you reach your goals for positive change, it's vitally important that you REMEMBER to maintain that beneficial energy of transformation and make adjustments as needed. In the world of Feng Shui, as you grow and develop so will your living and working environments.