PURPLE FORBIDDEN CITY <1 



■the personal Palace of the Emperor, the Ch'ien Ch'ing Kung 

 l£ $st '£ Palace of the Cloudless Heaven. This causeway, 

 raised high above the Courtyard is beautifully ornamented, 

 on either side rows of Pa Hsia ty\ RJE the dragon sons who 

 love water, act as gargoyles to carry away any superfluous 

 moisture from the road used by the Son of Heaven in his 

 passage from the Halls of Ceremony to his private apart- 

 ments. Before the Ch'ien Ch'ing Kung appear not only the 

 Sun-dial and the Good Measure, but various other emblems 

 which are intended to act as reminders to the Euler that he 

 should think only of his people's welfare. 



The steps and Imperial pathway are exquisitely and de- 

 licately carved, with less boldness of relief than is found 

 elsewhere. In the middle of the centre panel is placed an 

 Imperial dragon rising from a background, decorated with the 

 flowers of the four seasons, with fungi of longevity and many 

 auspicious symbols; this is surrounded by a deep border on 

 which are carved Ying Lung, deers, symbols of longevity; 

 and Lung Ma fl % a curious creature whose father was a 

 dragon, and mother a horse; he bears a resemblance to< both 

 his parents ; while in the four corners are placed Feng Huang. 

 The steps are most beautiful; Lung ma are carved below 

 them; on the first tread two Ssu Tzu ffl ^ "Protectors" 

 are flanked by two of those interesting creatures known as 

 Cha Yu f§ $3« l which are placed in Palaces as warnings to the 

 Emperor; the second tread is decorated with Ch'i Lin $£ £8 

 one of the four fabulous animals, harbinger of Peace and 

 good fortune, it can walk on the water as well as on the 

 land and, sad to say, has not been seen since the days of 

 Confucius, it will be remembered that he found one which 

 some hunters had just killed, and that he wept bitterly 

 feeling that all chances of peace and harmony had gone; 

 the third bears Feng Huang M* S3* those "Crested Love 

 Pheasants" often referred to as "Phoenix," a translation 

 which carries a wrong connotation. The Feng Huang do not 

 rise from their ashes, they are no symbol of renewed hope, 

 but of loving friendship and affection, they are the emblem 

 of the Empress, being the greatest of the bird family to whom 



Cha Yii. Dragon's head, horse's tail, tiger's claws ; its body is 

 four chang (forty feet) long; it loves to eat men. If the 

 princely King has virtue (follows the Tao or Right Way 

 of life) it is in the Yin world (the world of shades below 

 this world which is that of the Yang of light) if he has 

 not virtue, then it is seen. (Shu I Chi). 



