Lucky Beast (Foot End) Bronze Incense Burner

Lucky Beast (Foot End) Bronze Incense Burner

This cultural relic is one of a pair of lion incense burners, produced in the 17th century. Now collected at the Minneapolis Museum of Art in the United States. These lions look like guardian lions, known as auspicious beasts (Lu Duan), each with a unicorn. They are mythical animals endowed with the ability to distinguish between good and evil. These legendary animals appear in pairs and are used to stand on both sides of the imperial throne in the Forbidden City, symbolizing the dignity, virtues, and wisdom of the royal family. The size of this pair of incense burners is 57.2 x 33 x 61 centimeters, made of bronze and decorated with splashed gold.