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Literally, "Korean lions," paired figures of figurative lion tutelaries found at the entryway to shrine buildings, or alongside their torii or approachways. Most are made of stone, although examples can also be found made of bronze, iron, wood, or ceramics. The paired figures are typically male and female, and some portray one with horns. In generally, the pairs include one with an open mouth and one with mouth closed, the so-called a-un posture symbolizing the "alpha" and "omega" of the Sanskrit alphabet.
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Asia
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