1. Bronze tiger head statue
The bronze tiger head statue is made of bronze and was made during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty (1736-1795). One of the twelve animal-headed bronze statues originally belonging to the Dashui Fa in front of the Haiyan Hall of the Western Building in the Old Summer Palace in Beijing.
The body of the zodiac bronze statue is a stone sculpture wearing a robe, and the head is a realistic style. The casting is fine, and the wrinkles, down, and other details on the animal head are clear and lifelike. Details such as the wrinkles and down on the animal head are clear and lifelike.
The material used to cast the animal head was red copper refined by the Qing court at that time. It has a deep color on the outside and a polished interior. It has not rusted after hundreds of years, which is a unique feat.
According to research, the bronze statues of the twelve zodiac animals were arranged in a figure-eight shape on both sides of a pool in front of the Haiyan Hall of the Old Summer Palace. They were called "hydraulic clocks" by people at the time.
Every day, the twelve zodiac bronze statues will spray water in turn, representing different times of the day. At noon, the twelve statues will spray water at the same time. These bronze statues were designed by Westerners and are popular in China. It is made by integrating Eastern and Western culture.
After the "Burning of the Old Summer Palace" in 1860, it was plundered and lost overseas. It was later purchased by China Poly Group Corporation and is now collected in the Poly Art Museum in Beijing.
2. "Five-Colored Parrot"
The picture depicts two broken branches of apricot flowers, and a five-colored parrot perched on the branch. "Picture of Birds with Plum Body" is a kind of exquisite and elegant style.
Because of the inscription written by Huizong Zhao Ji, it has always been attributed to Huizong. However, contemporary scholars generally believe that it was actually made by a professional painter from the painting academy at that time, which reflects the level of flower and bird painting creation in Huizong's painting academy.
On the right side of the painting, there is a preface and poem written by Zhao Ji in a thin gold book. Its form is similar to that of "Xianglong Stone Picture". Some scholars further speculate that this work is from "Xuanhe Ruilan Volume" One of a kind.
After the "Burning of the Old Summer Palace" in 1860, it was plundered and lost overseas. It is now collected in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
3. Wangzuo Zuoshou Ding
Wang Zuoshou Ding is 41 cm tall and 38 cm in diameter: the mouth is folded outward, with two strong ears standing on top, and the neck is slightly retracted. The abdomen is slightly bulging, and three hoofed feet are placed under the abdomen. There are short ridges on the neck and the upper part of the feet, and the shape is similar to that of Xiao Ke Ding, but the belly of Xiao Ke Ding seems to be deeper.
The tripod was plundered and lost overseas after the "Burning of the Old Summer Palace" in 1860. It was later purchased by China Poly Group Company and is now collected in the Poly Art Museum in Beijing.
4. "Ode to Forty Scenes of Old Summer Palace"
"Ode to Forty Scenes of Old Summer Palace" was written by the court painter in the ninth year of Qianlong (1744) according to the decree of Emperor Qianlong. 40 separate scenes drawn by Tang Dai and others.
The Forty Scenes are painted on silk, and each picture is accompanied by Qianlong's "Poems on Forty Scenes" written by Wang Youdun, Minister of the Ministry of Industry. The fonts are all in the palace style used for ministers' memorials. The whole picture chant is divided into two volumes, and it was officially installed in the Old Summer Palace in Fengsan Selfless Hall for display. It is known as the color picture of the palace.
In 1860, when the British and French forces burned the Old Summer Palace, this set of precious colored drawings was stolen by the invaders and dedicated to the French Emperor Napoleon III. It is now in the National Library in Paris, France.
5. Gilt bronze pagoda
About 2 meters high, it is basically similar to the existing pagoda in the Forbidden City. Each layer of the whole body is inlaid with emeralds, which was rare among various pagodas during the Qianlong period.
The top of this golden pagoda is the sun, moon, umbrella and three treasures, which represent the most ideal heaven in Buddhism. The sun and moon are inlaid with huge emeralds. There is a Buddhist niche in the semicircle in the middle. In the Buddhist niche is a statue of Sakyamuni, with a natural shape and exquisite casting art.
The lower square body has a male lion holding up the entire tower shape. This is a typical style of Tibetan Buddhist pagodas.
Originally a treasure of the Old Summer Palace, it is now collected in the Palace of Fontainebleau, France.