This figure represents a later evolution of the theme of po-lo-to-she, the Tiger tamer, as seen in lot ?. Here the tiger cub has become a fully sinicized fu-lion and his master, the luohan plays with him with a brocade ball.

A similar 18th century ivory coloured jade figure of a cloaked and curly bearded luohan hugging his fu-lion with his left arm and holding a brocade ball in his right is illustrated by Dohrenwend, Chinese Jades in the Royal Ontario Museum