The bronze statue of the animal head of the zodiac in Yuanmingyuan was originally a part of the fountain outside Haiyan Hall in Yuanmingyuan, and it was a bronze statue of the Qing Dynasty. 1860, the British and French allied forces invaded China and burned Yuanmingyuan, and the bronze statue of the animal head began to be lost overseas. By June 5438+February, 2020, the seven lost animal heads in Yuanmingyuan, including ox head, monkey head, tiger head, pig head, mouse head, rabbit head and horse head, will return to the motherland in different ways.
The body of the bronze statue of the zodiac is carved from stone, dressed in robes, the head is realistic, the casting is fine, and the wrinkles and fluff of the animal's head are clear and realistic. The material for casting the animal head was refined copper from the Qing court at that time. The appearance is dark and the connotation is clean, and it is a must for a hundred years. The designer of the bronze statue of the zodiac fully considered the folk culture of China, and replaced the human body sculpture commonly used in western fountain design with the statue of the zodiac.
At that time, the bronze statues of 12 zodiac were arranged on both sides of the pool in front of Haiyan Hall in Yuanmingyuan in a figure of eight, which was called? Hydraulic clock? . On the south bank are rats, yinhu, dragons, afternoon horses, monkeys and dogs. On the north shore, there are ugly cows, hairy rabbits, snakes, sheep, chickens and pigs. These portraits are all animal heads, with bronze heads and stone bodies. Every day, the bronze statues of the zodiac will spray water in turn, representing different times of the day. At noon, the twelve elephants will flood at the same time. Tang Haiyan Zodiac Fountain is a fountain clock designed according to China Zodiac. Every time, the zodiac clock belonging to that time will automatically spray water. At noon 12 o'clock, the Chinese zodiac sprays water at the same time, and the design is extremely beautiful. The main building of Haiyan Hall faces west, with eleven rooms above and eleven rooms below. There is a cascade fountain on the left and right of the building door, and a large fountain on the lower steps. The bronze statues of the head of the Chinese zodiac are arranged in a figure of eight around the pool. Every twelve hours day and night, the zodiac takes turns spraying water, commonly known as "hydraulic clock". This is a spectacle. These bronze zodiac statues are 50 cm high and beautifully carved, making them one of the most exquisite bronzes in the Qing Dynasty.
The animal heads of the Chinese Zodiac only appeared for more than 200 years, but they experienced the collapse of the imperial system in China, the turmoil in the Republic of China and the birth of New China. Cultural relics have natural attributes and shoulder cultural responsibilities and national feelings. The animal head of the zodiac tells such a tortuous story with personal experience. These cultural relics scattered overseas bear our history, engrave our glory and remember the past of the nation. One day, we will find them and take them away? Going home? .