The Chinese first learned of the lion during the Han dynasty, when the Silk Route opened a westward link, and people soon held the unknown animal in awe. It was described in the following terms: "A bronze head, an iron brow and a stare like lightning. It travels 500 li in a day. Its roar scatters all beasts and makes horses piss blood."
百獸之王的模樣在漢代沿著絲路傳入中國，時人被這陌生的動物所震懾，留下「銅頭鐵額、目光如電，日走五百里，每一吼則百獸闢易，馬皆溺血」及能「拉虎、吞貔、裂犀、分象」等形容。