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The "Grand Mixing" refer to the period when Shar-pei was still referred to by the name of Chinese Fighting Dog . Breeders here in Hong Kong crossed Shar-Pei with any natural born fighters solely to produce a better gladiator. By this, it is already self apparent, like anywhere in the world, that for the purpose of dog fighting people look for physically advantage and not so much on the preservation of the "breed".
In order to win, nothing can stop breeders in Hong Kong mixing strong Akita type Tang dogs , and eventually mixing imported breeds such as Boxer, Bulldog, Bull Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier etc. to try solely to produce a better gladiator. The extremely famous Chamfa eared Daifanshu is confirmed by old written literature as well as oral testimony by bone mouth breeders in Hong Kong such as Lee Fuk Wah that Daifanshu was a mixed Shar-Pei. What is important was that people regarded Daifanshu as a Shar-Pei and reported as such in their writings. It was also ingrained in their cultural perception at that time that among the Tang dogs, Shar-Pei was good for its gladiator quality. So the name Shar-Pei was emphasized in describing a "Chinese Fighting Dog".
Philosophically, we take a glass of water for example. Do we call it half empty or half full? Tang dog said it is half empty, but Shar-Pei said it is half full. But after all, all breed standards are reflection of human perception. Naming of things in modern times was established by a Swedish scientist named Carl von Linnaeus ( Carolus Linnaus 1707-1778). He invented the scientific classification of name. The scientific name for our daily loving dog is Canis Familiaris, we human are called Homo Sapiens etc. It does not mean that dogs and humans did not exist before Linnaus but it was during this period around Linnaus time that was regarded as the dawning of science, the awareness of human in general to their surrounding environment. So naming of Shar-Pei met the same challenge as Linnaus faced in his time.
If breeders in Hong Kong went for a better gladiator dog without regard for breed standard, and Tang dog was being selected before the imports to enhance the body built, then It is inevitable that from this period the "flowered" gene in Shar-Pei could have been amplified in the breeding process instead of being selected away. If the "flowered" gene of our modern type Shar-Pei is from the Tang dogs (local street dog), then it may be that the flowered gene might have been around for a much longer time than we can imagined. It always have been a matter of selective force exerted by human being (mainly cultural in consideration) that had sensitively tipped the balance either towards gene amplification or elimination.
Hong Kong was devastated by the Second World War much the same as Europe. It took many years to recover and by the end of 60's, Hong Kong was ready to take off becoming the four economic Dragons or Tigers in Asia together with Taiwan, Korea, and Singapore. When fighting species such as Bull Terrier, Pit Bull Terrier being imported into Hong Kong especially from America, the Tang dog lost favor as breeding partner to "Shar-Pei" . Again, we are talking about a half full cup of water here. We are referring to Shar-Pei as a "Chinese Fighting Dog" Shar-Pei.
今天當我們談論由上一世紀50年代(第二次世界大戰之後)起至今大約50年間沙皮狗的近代發展史, 談到「傳統沙皮狗」時使用「傳統」兩個字時就要特別留意。 在這期間大至上發生過兩次對沙皮狗的傳統基因庫做成衝擊的年代, 做成今天「肉咀」對「骨咀」的局面。 「大混雜時代」是在1960年代末至70年代期間。 「肉咀基因大冲洗時代」是在1990年代。 「大混雜時代」 這是沙皮狗被俗稱為「中國鬪狗」的年代。這是「中國鬪狗」的全盛時期。 1945年第二次世界大戰結束,百廢待興。香港經過10多年的經濟發展逐漸走向繁榮。 而中國國內則是一波接一波的政治鬪争,1966年至1976年的文化大革命更使中國閉關自守。 這時在香港的一部份鬪狗人仕將沙皮狗被挑選作為「中國鬪狗」的其中一種。所謂「中國鬪狗」亦包括廣東人一般俗稱的「唐狗」。 鬪狗這種活動是功能主導的,勝者為王,不論品種,不同犬種間交配是不受節制。 而狗展則是一種人文文化美學活動,是講究犬隻品種的血統,不能胡亂交配。 所以當初香港狗會早期接受「中國鬪狗」作為品種豋記時就產生很多渾亂和争議。 到底甚麽是「中國鬪狗」?是什麽標準?由於後來實在太多問題,香港狗會終於發函通知會員, 在1975年7月15日的信中提及停止一切有關「中國鬪狗」作為犬隻品種的登記,並停止這種犬隻以後参加任何狗展活動直至另行通知為止。 信中的標提是:「沙皮狗別稱中國鬪狗」,清楚地說明香港狗會曾經是將「沙皮狗」以「中國鬪狗」的名稱作為犬隻的品種登記的。 當時在香港社會中有兩類人士。 一類是繼續在香港玩鬪狗活動的繁殖者和另一類是参與出囗「中國鬪狗」到美國市場的商業人士。 在香港玩鬪狗活動的繁殖者將拳師狗、布爹利、比特、老虎狗、唐狗等與沙皮狗混合,務求配出一隻有「實戰價值」打得的「中國鬪狗」。 在另一方面参與出囗「中國鬪狗」到美國市場的商業人士則根據美國市場的需要,追隨美國市場價值,將這些混種沙皮狗再近親繁殖, 改變賣相,變成今天滿身皺褶的肉咀沙皮狗,以「中國鬪狗」的名義出口到美國。因為當時美國人喜歡皺褶,所以香港繁殖者就繁殖皺褶, 一時間「皺褶」成為沙皮狗的代名詞。 今天在美國見到的「花沙皮」的基因相信也是在這年代混合增幅出來的。 花基因可能來自本地唐狗、也可能來自其他入口的西方犬隻。
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Introduction
The period of Grand Mixing
