However, this spirit has also been integrated into an important branch of China traditional culture. For example, in some garden layouts, people will use some cultures of the zodiac, among which the fountain structure of Yuanmingyuan is set in the form of the zodiac, so there is Yuanmingyuan 12 animal head fountain.
1860, British and French troops invaded Beijing. However, before the Yuanmingyuan was burned down, the British and French allied forces removed many precious historical relics from Yuanmingyuan, including some fountain accessories. If we look at the accessories of these fountains at the design price at that time, they just integrated the spirit of the Chinese Zodiac in the traditional concept of China, which beautified the decoration of noble gardens, and their own prices were not high. However, through this historical exaggeration and the propaganda of great power feelings, the price of 12 animal heads lost overseas has now become very high.
1759, the expansion scale of Yuanmingyuan was completed one after another. However, in the decoration concept of Yuanmingyuan, the chief designer Lang Shining also focused on the design of the 24-hour zodiac. They will spray water in turn at different time points, and only at noon will they spray water together, presenting a spectacular scene of the royal garden. Until now, there are still some tourist attractions that continue the fountain design concept of Yuanmingyuan.
The month of 20 19 1 1 is the 70th anniversary of the founding of China and the 20th anniversary of the return of Macao. Under such a grand occasion, Mr. Stanley Ho, the gambling king of Macao, unconditionally handed over the bronze statue of the horse head he bought overseas at his own expense to the state, and now it belongs to the permanent collection of Yuanmingyuan. In fact, in 20 13, the Pino family abroad unconditionally returned the bronze statues of mice and rabbits hidden in the family to National Cultural Heritage Administration, China. But the whereabouts of the remaining snakes, chickens, dogs and sheep have not been found until now.
20 18 12 17, an international auction was held in France. In this auction, the dragon, one of the bronze statues of 12 animal heads lost in Yuanmingyuan, also appeared. In this auction, a China auctioneer finally got the final collection qualification at a price of 24 million yuan. But after the auction, people want to find other news about the bidders again, so they don't know.
But at that time, after the news was exposed, many people in China were very pleased and felt that as long as they stayed in China's own hands, they would not lose money. However, in 20 18, the network was very developed, so many experts called on bidders to hand over the dragon, one of the bronze heads of 12, to National Cultural Heritage Administration for free.
Perhaps influenced by Mr. Stanley Ho, the gambling king of Macau, and the unconditional donation of animal heads by Pino family abroad, many experts believe that as long as the animal heads appear, the best way to deal with them is to donate them to the country. However, we should know that not everyone can easily come up with tens of millions of assets, and this bidder can come up with an auction price of 24 million in an instant, probably mainly because he doesn't want China's cultural relics to flow into foreign markets. Because the bidder is unwilling to donate it unconditionally to the country, the expert's appeal may not be effective.