Guardians of Ping Yuen

 Posted by on February 6, 2013
Feb 062013
 

711 Pacific
Chinatown
Ping Yuen Housing

Ping Yuen Housing in Chinatown, SF

Originally 8 terracotta Foo dogs graced this gateway.

Chinese Foo Dogs at Ping Yuen Housing

Chinese guardian lions, known as Shishi or Imperial guardian lion, and often called “Foo Dogs” in the West, are a common representation of the lion in pre-modern China. They have traditionally stood in front of Chinese Imperial palaces, Imperial tombs, government offices, temples, and the homes of government officials and the wealthy, from the Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220), and were believed to have powerful mythic protective benefits.

The artist Mary Erckenbrack researched traditional Chinese animals before designing the dogs.

Mary Erkenbrack was born in Seattle, Washington on Nov. 30, 1910, Erckenbrack was raised in Rio De Janeiro, London, and Paris as her father, a shipping commissioner, moved about. While in France she studied art in Le Havre at Pension Jeanne d’Arc.

During 1933-35 her married name was Hennessy.   In 1935 she settled in San Francisco and became active in the North Beach art scene.  She soon established Mary E’s Mud Shop and was kept busy fulfilling ceramic orders for Gump’s, Marshall Fields and others.
Mary Erckenbrack - Ping Yuen Foo Dogs
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  2 Responses to “Guardians of Ping Yuen”

  1. RedPat says:
    February 6, 2013 at 2:08 pm

    Mary E’s Mud Shop – I love it!

  2. AVCr8teur says:
    February 6, 2013 at 4:51 pm

    Interesting history of the artist. I love walking through the streets of SF taking pictures of its architecture and other miscellaneous things.

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