Shar pei biography
Shar-pei temperament!
Shar Pei
"Sharpay" redirects here.
Shar pei biography
For the High School Musical character, see Sharpay Evans.
Dog breed
The Shar Pei (Chinese: 沙皮; Cantonese Yale: shā pèih; pinyin: shā pí) is a dog breed from southern China.
Traditionally kept as a property guardian, the shar pei was driven to the brink of extinction in the 20th century. The breed is known in the West for its deep wrinkles, while a traditional less wrinkled form is maintained in Hong Kong.
History
"Wrinkle-mouth" shar pei
"Bone-mouth" shar pei
There are no records indicating the origins of the shar pei, although it closely resembles effigies of an un-wrinkled type of guard dog kept in southern China during the Han dynasty; some believe the modern breed, along with the chow chow, descends from these dogs.[2][3] The breed has been identified as a basal breed that predates the emergence of the modern breeds in the 19th century.[4]
The shar pei was once very popu