Chinese Christmas

The windows of this Chinese restaurant are always pretty with it's red lanterns. Sparkling lights have been added for the Christmas season.

A fierce pair of guardian lions flanks the restaurant's entrance. In Chinese tradition that began in the Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD), the male lion is on the right hand side of the door (pictured) and holds a ball under his paw to represent the earth. He guards the structure. The female is on the left side and holds a cub under her paw to represent nurture. She guards the interior.

What a fabulous multi-cultural world! I love that this restaurant in Amsterdam combines 2000 year old Chinese tradition with modern-day light decorations for the Christian festival of Christ's birth more than 2000 years ago.