HISTORY OF THE SHAR-PEI

Provided by the Centennial Chinese Shar-Pei Club

The Chinese Shar-Pei is believed to date back to the Han Dynasty of 206 B.C. Likeness statues of the Shar-Pei, which can be dated to that era, have been found. This ancient Chinese breed is thought to have originated in the area around the small village of Tai-Lin in the Kwangtung Providence, and has existed for centuries in the southern provinces. Only one other breed, the Chow Chow, shares
the unique blue-black tongue of the Shar-Pei breed. Establishment of a common ancestor is difficult, but it may be that the two breeds are related.

Research since re-establishment of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of China and the United States in 1972 has not discovered any prior records of the breed in China. Following the formation of the People’s Republic of China as a communist nation in the 1950’s, the dog population of China was essentially eliminated. No dogs were seen in the cities and few dogs remained in the countryside. During this time a few Chinese Shar-Pei were bred in Hong Kong, BCC and in the Republic of China (Taiwan). Some breeders crossed the Shar-Pei with other breeds to produce a
fighting dog.

The breed was recognized and registered by the Hong Kong Kennel Club until 1966 when they discontinued registration of the breed. Subsequently, the Hong Kong and Kowloon Kennel Association established a registry for the breed. Taiwan, Japan and Korea, together with some European countries now include the Chinese Shar-Pei in their dog registries. A few Shar-Pei were imported into the United States as early as 1966, but it wasn’t until 1973 when Matgo Law made his famous appeal “to save the Chinese Shar-Pei” that American dog fanciers really became interested in the breed. The first dogs from Matgo Law arrived in the U.S. in the Fall of 1973.

The first organizational meeting of the Chinese Shar-Pei Club of America was held in 1974 and the club has been in continuous existence since that time.

In July, 1985 the Shar-Pei was recognized by the United Kennel Club. In May, 1988 the breed was accepted by the AKC and placed in the Miscellaneous Group. In May, 1992 the Chinese Shar-Pei
became the 134th breed to be recognized by the AKC and was placed in the Non-Sporting Group. Oddly enough, the Shar-Pei was again recognized by the Hong Kong Kennel Club in May, 1988. By
now the breed has also be approved by the Federation Canine Internationale (FCI), the world governing body on pure-bred dogs.