The origin of the Chinese watches in front of Tiananmen
The name of a pair of Chinese watches in Tiananmen is "Wang Jun Chu", which reminds the emperor that he should go out of the palace to observe the sentiments of the people. A pair of Chinese watches outside Tiananmen Square are called "Wang Jun Gui", calling the emperor to return to the palace as soon as possible to deal with important political affairs. The ideologies of "looking forward to your coming" and "looking forward to your returning" are somewhat similar to the original meaning of "slandering wood" of Huabiao -
There were originally two pairs of beautifully carved Chinese watches in front of Tiananmen Square. The origin of Huabiao is very old. It is said that during the time of Yao and Shun, wooden signs were erected on traffic thoroughfares and people could write admonitions on them. It was called "slander wood", or simply "slander wood", also called "Huabiao wood". According to the ancient book "Huainanzi Zhumu Xun": "When the ministers heard about Yao and Shun, they remonstrated, drummed and slandered the wood and established it in the court."
In the Han Dynasty, "Huabiao wood" developed and evolved into a symbol of thoroughfares. , because this sign looks like a flower from a distance, so it is called "Huabiao". In the Han Dynasty, Huabiao was also erected at the postal booth to prevent the person who sent the letter from getting lost.
Later, Huabiao gradually developed into small decorative buildings on bridgeheads and cemeteries. In "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" painted by Zhang Zeduan, a great painter of the Northern Song Dynasty, there are two pairs of tall Chinese watches painted on both ends of the Hongqiao Bridge in Bianliang, with white cranes standing on the top, with vivid and different expressions. There are also four Huabiao at both ends of the Marco Polo Bridge, 4.65 meters high. The upper ends of the stone pillars are crossed by cloud plates. There is a rosette disc on the top of the pillar, and stone lions are carved on the disc. They are solemn, beautiful and extraordinary. The stone pillars and tables decorated in front of the Xianling Mausoleum of Emperor Gaozu Li Yuan of the Tang Dynasty and the Qianling Mausoleum of Emperor Gaozong Li Zhi are exquisitely carved and beautiful in shape.
The two pairs of Chinese watches built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty when "Chengtianmen" (today's Anmen) was built, cleverly embellished the entire exquisite Forbidden City complex, enhancing the overall sense of ancient architectural art. Today, the two pairs of Chinese watches inside and outside Tiananmen Square are carved from white marble. They are based on huge and towering columns, with clouds and dragons wrapped around pillars, and a beautiful cloud plate running across the pillars, as if the clouds are moving into the clouds. The squatting beast on the dew plate at the top is lifelike. A pair of Chinese watches inside Tiananmen Square are named "Wang Jun Chu", which reminds the emperor that he should leave the palace to observe the sentiments of the people. A pair of Chinese watches outside Tiananmen Square are called "Wang Jungui", calling the emperor to return to the palace as soon as possible to deal with important political affairs. The ideology of "looking forward to your coming" and "looking forward to your return" is somewhat similar to Huabiao's original meaning of "slandering the wood".