KOREA FOUNDATION

Name: Chinthe Features Mythical animal Guardian deity that guards the entrance to Buddhist temples Always present as a pair Symbolizes the Burmese royalty In Myanmar culture, represents a person born on Tuesday

The Myanmar coat of arms depicts the Chinthe, a mythical animal inspired by lions. The Chinthe is part of Myanmar’s cultural heritage and is so pervasive in everyday life that it can be seen at entrances to Buddhist temples and also found on banknotes.

As legend tells, a princess fell in love with a lion and gave birth to a son. However, the lion soon became feared by the people, and the princess eventually left it. Later, the son killed the lion without knowing that it was his father. Upon returning home, he learned the truth from his mother. To repent, he built a lion statue to serve as the guardian of the temple. This is said to be the origin of the Chinthe.