Straw Dogs

"Heaven and Earth are heartless
treating creatures like straw dogs".
-- Tao Te Ching, Chapter 5

Straw dogs were used as ceremonial objects in ancient China.

Su Ch'e comments "Heaven and Earth are not partial. They do not kill living things out of cruelty or give them birth out of kindness. We do the same when we make straw dogs to use in sacrifices. We dress them up and put them on the altar, but not because we love them. And when the ceremony is over, we throw them into the street, but not because we hate them."

Sam Pekinpahs movie "Straw Dogs" takes its title from this.  It ends up with a number of bodies scattered around the home.