On New Year’s Day, two bronze lions in front of HSBC headquarters in Hong Kong were sprayed with red paint and set ablaze by anti-government protesters furious at the bank for closing the Spark Alliance account, which reportedly raised funds for the protests.
The lions, which have guarded HSBC for almost 85 years, are currently covered as restoration takes place.
Perhaps the European managers of The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation took a leaf from Chinese architectural tradition when they commissioned the guardian lions in the early 20th century.
Many Chinese-owned buildings, modern and classical, feature stylized lions, one male and one female, at their main entrances. But how d
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Jan 16, 2020