HISTORY OF THE JAPANESE CHIN by Sari Brewster Tietjen
L ike gaily-wrapped presents beneath a Christmas tree, the Japanese Chin is a bundle of joy, surprise, and mischief cloaked in an air of serenity and superiority. These little dogs lord over their house- hold and, make no mistake about it, it is their household. They give humans the permission to take care of them according to their desires and wishes. Not that they are difficult to take care of—it is just that they decree the how, why, and wherefore of everything to do with their lives. They may be small, but their impact is considerable. They have a unique way of mentally raising themselves at least twenty feet high and looking down on you so that you become their slave. You may think you are the master, but they know they are the Lords—much loved, trea- sured, and admired. The origin of the Japanese Chin is clouded in the mysticism of Far Eastern ancient rites. Small dogs were known to have crisscrossed the Silk Road accompanying travelers as both presentations of trade and companions on the long journeys. Some of these dogs became the pets of Buddhist Monks who nurtured and mated various types in their sheltered monasteries: eventually, gifts to traveling dignitaries. They quickly assumed their rightful position in the Imperial palaces, where they were closely kept and guarded for the Imperial family by private eunuchs who were charged with looking after the little dogs’ every need, every desire. Mere peasants were not allowed to own them, as the small dogs became treasures more valuable than gold. Navigating the globe by ship soon changed the way merchants traded their goods. During the fifteenth century, traders from the West arrived by sea using merchant ships. Looking for goodwill and favorable deals, they always brought gifts for members of the local nobility and govern- ment. Included as items of goodwill were usually a couple of dogs from the native lands; some dogs were large hunters, while others were of the small lap-type. Eventually, these little dogs were crossed with the exist- ing “pai” dogs, whose roots rested with the caravans of the Silk Road, and other varieties emerged. Countries such as Portugal, Italy, Spain, Holland, England, and later, the United States, covered the seas in search of trade and wealth, changing the lives of all involved, including the little dogs.
Japanese Chin breeder-judge, author, and historian Sari Brewster Tietjen passed away in 2019. Her article on the breed’s history is reprinted here with kind permission from the Japa- nese Chin Club of America.
18 • T op N otch T oys , O ctober 2022
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