 |
This
figure is called "Lady Holding a Pekingese" and it is on display
at the Kyoto museum. It dates 618-907 AD, the years of the Tang
Dynasty in China. The Tang royalty were greatly enamored of the
little "Lion Dogs", and thusly, during this era, the selective
breeding that had started among the Chinese monks continued and the
Pekingese became a unique and distinguishable breed. In fact,
Pekes became so revered that the penalty for killing or stealing
one of the royal dogs was death. No wonder my dog has such a high
opinion of herself! |
 |
"No
one really knows who she is....but she travels with four little Pekingese
dogs...so she MUST be SOMEBODY!..." This is a quote from
the musical "Titanic", as a character observes a mysterious
and obviously wealthy woman board the ship. Actually, of the four
dogs to survive the Titanic disaster, three were Pekes. This was because
the well-to-do of the time often traveled with their Pekingese, then
considered exotic status symbols. Thus far, Titanic is the only
Broadway Musical to mention Pekes, a gross injustice in my opinion...
|
 |
Queen
Victoria had many Pekes during her long lifetime, the first of which
was a fawn and white named 'Lootie', brought to her by Commodore Perry
after the Boxer Rebellion in China. The Chinese slaughtered many of
their precious dogs before the British troops got there, so not to let
them fall into enemy hands. Five of the dogs lived, however, and were
found guarding the body of the emperor's aunt, who had taken her own
life. The funny thing about this fact however, is that Shih Tzu lovers
insist that it was those dogs, and not Pekes, that were brought over
to Europe this way. Well DUH!!! Everyone KNOWS they were PEKINGESE!
I mean REALLY! Not that I care or anything... |
 |
In
the 80s vampire flick, The Lost Boys, there is a brief flash
of a stuffed, as in taxidermied, pekingese dog. Its in the scene where
the Grandfather is getting ready for his date with an old widow. He
picks up the stuffed peke and walks out. This gross little factoid
was discovered by accident while I was watching the movie and someone
said, "Hey, doesn't that look like your dog???"
|
 |
In the
book "It", by Stephen King, a pekingese is mentioned as a
"little dog with big teeth". Mr. King also refers to a peke
in the short story "The Body", which the movie Stand By Me
is based on. In that story, a peke gets gets thrown up on! And he has
a cat in the picture instead of a peke! Mr. King, how could you? :)
|
| |
|
