Once upon a time, centuries ago, there was a mighty lion who fell in love with a marmoset, a tiny monkey. Although their love was deep, they were a mismatched pair. The lion, so much larger and more powerful, knew that they could never truly be together. Determined to overcome this, the lion made the ultimate sacrifice: he asked Buddha to shrink him down. Buddha granted the lion’s wish, taking away his size but leaving him his courage, loyalty, and mighty heart. From this union came the breed of dogs that lives to this day. This is the story of the Pekingese.

Welcome to Dog Studio, the podcast where we explore the incredible stories, legends, and histories of the dogs we love. Today, we journey to ancient China to uncover the tale of the Pekingese—a breed born of myth and nurtured in the gilded halls of emperors.

Though the story of the lion and the marmoset is a fable, it reflects the reverence ancient China held for this remarkable breed. The Pekingese, often called the “Lion Dog,” was not just a pet—it was a symbol of power, divinity, and protection.

The Pekingese was a favourite breed or type of dog of the Dowager Empress Tzu Hsi, one of the most powerful women in the Chinese history. According to the record, the empress particulary liked three types of dogs. One was short coated, the second was long coated with coat covering the whole face and body and the third one had a long coat, but a smooth face. These are of course breeds we now know as Pugs, Shih tzus and Pekingese.

They all had distinct features that separated them from each other and according to the historical records, the breeding of these types of dogs was strictly separate. However, all these breeds had similar features. Short nose, round eyes, tails over their back. And considering their temperament, they are also very similar. Brave, strong headed and stuborn companions, yet with a loving affection to their owners. But today we look especially at Pekingese. A breed so unique that to this day it baffles some of the animal rights activists and dog enthusiasts.

As all dogs had developed from wolfs, people often wonder what made the human kind create such unique and disticts creature such as a Pekingese. The answer lies in their purpose. The dowager Empress higly valued these unique dogs. And keeping up with the legend mentioned above, she named them the Lion dogs.

There were approximately 1000 unichs employed by the empress just to take care of the dogs. So, one can only imagine the vast number of dogs bred every year. And the animals were valued as the most precios treasures. If the unich caretaker hurt the animal, even by mistake, he paid for it by his own life. It goes to show how the society valued these dogs, some might say more than people.

The empress valued small sized dogs, because they could be easily carried in the long sleeves of the ladies kimonos.

There is an actual translation of the description the Empress wrote down, so that the exact type of dog is specified and can be followed to. Today we would say this is the first written standard.

The Empress wrote “Let the Lion dog be small, let it wear the swelling cape of dignity around his neck, let it display the billowing standard of pomp above its back.

Let his face be black, let its forefront be shaggy, let its forehead be straight and low, like the brows of an Imperial harmony boxer. Let its eyes be large and luminious, let its ears be set like the sails of a war junk, let its nose be like that of a monkey god of Hindus, let its forelegs be bent, so that it shall not desire to wander far or leave the Imperial palace.

This description goes on notifying every details of the Lion dog. Color is one of the most distints features of the breed. All colors were bred to compliment the different colours of kimonos worn in those day. Highly valued were sand or gold coloured dogs, as they resebled the actual  lion. The black dogs were very juch liked as well. However, there was a color that was to be avoided. This of course was pure white. As white colour is a color of mourning.

The dowager empress wanted her dogs to be fainty in food. They were fed sharks fins, to drink they were given tea brewed from the spring buds or milk from the anthelopes that pastured in the imperial parks.

If the dogs were ill, a special routine was described to care for them. However, the empress also writes, if the lion dog dies, remember thou too art mortal!

A beautiful words to describe not only the looks of the breed, but the strong connection the empress of China had to her beloved dogs.

The Pekingese’s privileged life came to a sudden halt after the death of Dowager Empress Cixi in 1908. Her successor did not share her affection for the breed, and many of the palace’s Pekingese were ordered to be culled. However, the breed’s survival was ensured by the loyalty of the eunuchs who had cared for them. They smuggled dogs out of the palace and gifted them to nobles, scholars, and dignitaries who continued to cherish and protect them.

The breed gained international fame after the Second Opium War in 1860, when British troops looted the Summer Palace. Among the treasures they discovered were five Pekingese dogs, described as “small lion-like creatures.” And its believed that all the Pekingese we know today can be traced back to these five dogs.

One of the dogs was presented to Queen Victoria, who was immediately enchanted. She named her new companion “Lootie” after the circumstances of his discovery, and soon the Pekingese became a symbol of status and refinement in Europe.

By this time the Pekingese were often called “Foo Dogs” and were thought to resemble the stone lion statues that guarded temples. Their role as protectors of the Imperial family was both symbolic and practical. The Chinese and budhists admired lions, and reffered to them as kings of animals. However, the lion as an animal has never lived in China. But we shall talk more about this in the future episodes.

By the early 20th century, the Pekingese became a status symbol among European and American elites. Hollywood royalty, including Elizabeth Taylor, adored the breed, and it frequently appeared in portraits of high society.

One can argue the breed of Pekingese has no purpose and can not really be used for any purpose. They are definitely impossible to herd or hunt with. The breeds sole purpose was to be a companion. That is the purpose of why they were created and I might think that is exactly why they were so loved by the high society. While some of the smaller dogs in the past were bred down from larger spaniels or hunting dogs, the Pekingese never had any other purpose other than look and act like a royalty. They have a strong soul and character. That is exactly what the Dowager empress wanted from her dogs, and this is exactly what made them survive to this day.

The Pekingese is more than just a breed; it’s a living piece of history, a connection to a time of emperors, legends, and untold luxury. Its journey from the palaces of ancient China to the homes of dog lovers around the world is a testament to its unique charm and resilience.

So, the next time you see a Pekingese strutting proudly, remember its royal roots and the legend of the lion who sacrificed everything for love.

Thank you for exploring the fascinating world of dogs with me today. Remember, there’s so much more to them than meets the eye.

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I’m Radek Blažo, and this is Dog Studio. Until next time!