SHAR-PEI
Used like dog guardian of tombs in his origins, later it has been used like defense dog, in fights of dogs, and finally like mascot. In the decade of years 60, the Shar Pei was on the verge of disappearing because of the persecution of the communist regime of the People's Republic of China against the company animal, to which it considered symbols of the bourgeoisie and an unnecessary waste of food.
The origin of shar pei goes back to century II, when the Hang dynasty reigned in China. That is thought that his origin they are the Mastín Tibetano and the Chow Chow, with shares many similarities (among them the blue language).
His origin it is difficult to fix since documents do not exist that indicate with certainty the date to us of appearance of this race. Great part of the material that could have helped to us to answer our questions was destroyed by Emperor Chin Shih around year 255 before Christ.
Shar pei lives for centuries in the southern coast of China. There by many years was used by the Chinese farmers like sheepdog to guard the flock, for the hunting of the wild boar, and like dog guardian.
The extreme poverty of people thinks that about China, as a result of the war, and the difficulty to secure food reserves, debilitated the races and caused its deterioration through all the territory.
When taking the power the Communists in years 40, the domestic dogs were considered a luxury, which in principle meant the application of strong fines to all the possessors of dogs of any race. Later, in 1947, he decreed himself that the dogs had to serve like food, to fight the hunger of the population. Towards 1950 just a few exemplary of Shar-Pei they survived in Hong Kong and Macao.
In 60 years a small group of people in Hong Kong takes the first steps in order to preserve the race already almost altogether extinction. Between these people Matgo Law stands out. As first measurement initiated a harvesting of Shar-Pei, taking them to Hong Kong of such form that a program to restore the race could be developed.
These fans, fearing who someday Hong Kong happened to comprise of China, and who therefore all the dogs had the same end that their ancestors, decided to save the race abroad exporting it. For it they wrote to Marjorie Farnsworth, that was publisher of a called magazine Dogs, that recently had published an article on races in extinction. In the letter, Matgo Law enclosed photographies and it detailed his program to him. The letter finished with a request of directed aid to the American canófilos. The publication of the letter in the magazine, along with the photos, supposed that shar-pei found its salvation definitive.
It is said that the history of the race can begin with the dynasty Have in China (from the 206 before Christ to the 220 a.d.), therefore, we are speaking of one of the oldest existing races. About the origin place speech of Dah Let (Tai Leh), in the Chinese province of Tung, although other hypotheses say that the place could have been the province of Fushan. Statues of this time exist that can make us remember to the Shar Pei with the curved tail and with an expression similar to which we know at present, although I return to repeat are only hypothesis.
About the races from which the Shar Pei does not descend either they know with exactitude; one thinks with much certainty that the Chow-Chow is regarding the Shar Pei, partly by his pigmentation in blue tone of his language. Habitually this is said that only these two races have this characteristic, is erroneous since there are other nonwell-known Asian races that have also it pigmented, another animal with this color of language is the polar bear. It is possible to be said that the Shar Pei or one of its predecessors, as it could be the Dah-Let Fighting Dog, was used like fight dog, with powerful eyeteeth sufficient to tear the skin of its opponent and with a hard and greasy hair so that outside difficult to tear by its opponent; the amount and flexibility of the skin also it would be difficult to maintain by the mouth of the rival; the amount of wrinkles was important, since too many wrinkles and the skin would withdraw with facility, as well as few wrinkles would not give to the animal the sufficient protection. Also the size of the ears was important, had sufficiently to be great to cover the auricular pavilion, since great ears would benefit their rival.
