[Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Stone dogs were placed at the entrance of houses, streets, villages, temples, and by wells, rivers and tombs, as well as worshiped in festivals and the first and fifth of days lunar months.

They are carved into different postures, like reclining, squatting and sitting, and are created in various styles, including portrait, abstract, personification and exaggeration.

Symbolic objects are also incorprated into the sculptures, such as the ancient coin, stone drum, bagua pattern (reflecting the eight diagrams in Taoism), anchor, fishing net, xiuqiu (a ball made of strips of silk), snakes and, in more contemporary editions,a tie such as thoseworn with Western suits.

The dogs also come in many species.