Remains of a giant chinthe shaped as an elephant, Mingun, Sagaing Region, Myanmar
The Chinthe is a leogryph (lion-like creature) that is often seen at the entrances of pagodas and temples in Burma, Cambodia, Laos and is related to the Singha in Thailand and the Simha in Sri Lanka as well as to other similar lion statues in other parts of Asia. The chinthe and the simha are featured prominently on the Burmese kyat and the Sri Lankan rupee respectively. The chinthe is almost always depicted in pairs, and they serve to protect pagodas. They typically appear as animals, but are sometimes found with human faces. Like the komainu of Japan, shisa of Okinawa and Snow Lion of Tibet, the chintheis a variation of the guardian lions found in China. Pagoda guardians The story of why chinthes guard the entrances of pagodas and temples is given as such from the Mahavamsa: A princess had a son through her marriage to a lion, but later abandoned the lion who then became enraged and set out on a road of terror throughout the lands. The son then went out to slay this terrorizing lion. The son came back home to his mother stating he slew the lion, and then found out that he killed his own father. The son later constructed a statue of the lion as a guardian of a temple to atone for his sin. The chinthe is revered and loved by the Burmese people and is used symbolically on the royal thrones of Burma. Predating the use of coins for money, brass weights cast in the shape of mythical beasts like the chinthe were commonly used to measure standard quantities of staple items.
Size: 5662px × 3780px
Location: Mingun, Sagaing Region, Myanmar
Photo credit: © Roberto Cornacchia / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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