Stone lions, a common item in Chinese traditional culture, are sculptures of lions carved from stone, possessing both artistic and ornamental value. The earliest stone lion is the one in front of the tomb of Gao Yi during the Eastern Han Dynasty. It is a type of decorative element frequently used in traditional Chinese architecture, and can be seen on palaces, temples, pagodas, bridges, gardens, tombs, and even seal rings in China. However, more often than not, stone lions refer specifically to a pair placed on either side of the main gate. Their design is not what we see of lions today, possibly because most Chinese people have never seen real lions in the grasslands, or perhaps due to the different posture of the Western lion.