This pattern is rare in the Forbidden City (see Figure 1). The Gate of Martial Valor（武英门）was destroyed by fire in the eighth year of the reign of Emperor Tongzhi, Qing dynasty (1869), and rebuilt in the same year [1]. Therefore, the Pu Shou should belong to the late Qing Dynasty. Compared with the Door Knockers of Ming Dynasty and early or middle Qing Dynasty, the greatest change is that all the features of the snail are weakened: 1, the three-lobed round nose becomes a nose with two nostrils; 2, two eyes opened wide with a few crow’s feet at the corners; 3, the flame-like snail eyebrows have become two stroke warrior-like thick eyebrows; 4, the “U” shaped horns become forked antlers; 5, the biggest change is the disappearance of the forehead round lid-like structure, which is replaced by a tiger’s “丰” pattern.
图1 永寿门铺首 Figure 1 Pu Shou, the Gate of Yongshou Palace
The word “Pu Shou” first appeared in the Han Dynasty, in memory of Emperor Ai, the history of Han Dynasty (汉书), volume 11: “the bronze tortoises, snakes and the beast-faced door knockers at the entrance of the Xiaoyuan Temple wailed in mourning together [1].” What is a Pu Shou? According to Wang Xiaoqing, “Chinese Ancient Architectural Terminology Dictionary”: Pu Shou is a decorative handle pull on the door. It is named because it was laid in the shape of a beast’s head [2].”
Jiao Tu is the ninth son of the dragon in ancient Chinese myths and legends. The Jiao Tu door knocker first appeared in the late yuan and early Ming Dynasty [1]. “The shape of the Jiao Tu looks like a snail, which nature is to keep its mouth shut, so it stands on the door [3], see Figure 2.”
The figure 1 shows a Pu Shou with its ring pull. Its Jiao Tu’s appearance is more like the face of a lion with the characteristics of a snail: its nose triple-lobed, flat and wide; eyes prominent like those of a lion; snail-shell shaped eyebrows look like flames, or the distorted lion’s hair; horns U-shaped. There is a round lid-like structure between two horns. What is this, no relevant information was found.
The Pu Shou of Han Dynasty usually has a “山” pattern (Figure 3, after Yang Guiping, On the ancient Chinese Pu Shou). This pattern is derived from the abstraction of the 山-shaped tall crown worn by ancient wizards[1] [4]. Let’s look at the Pu Shou of the Gate of Yongshou Palace again, the two horns and the central “round lid” structure plus an arrow above it form a “山”-shaped pattern. It seems that the evolution of the Pu Shou is traceable. As for the meaning of the “round lid” structure, it is presumed to be the operculum of the snail shell, or called the shell lid. If you look closely at Figure 1, you can find a concave pattern at the front of the “round lid” structure, like a half-opening operculum. This view has not been supported by written materials, only for personal “joking” speculation.
The Yonghe Palace is located in the east six palaces. After Guangxu’s wedding, it has been the residence of the Imperial Concubine Jin until her death on September 24,1924 [1]. When people talk about the Yonghe Palace and the Imperial Concubine Jin, it is necessary to mention the jadeite cabbage, one of the three treasures of the National Palace Museum in Taipei. It is said that the jadeite cabbage was a part of dowry of the Imperial Concubine Jin, unfortunately, there is no evidence to support it. Only “the Palace items auditing report” issued by the Caretaker Committee of the Qing Dynasty Imperial Family in 1925 confirmed that the jadeite cabbage had existed in a jade pot in the Yonghe Palace [2]. However, according to the introduction of the exhibits of the National Palace Museum in Taipei said that the jadeite cabbage was found “in a Begonia flower shaped enamel pot” [3].
The beast-faced cymbal or door knocker is called a Pu Shou（铺首）. The Pu Shou is mostly placed at the intersection of the 5th and 6th horizontal door nails and the 1st and 2nd vertical door nails.
文华门铺首 The Pu Shou of the Gate of Literary Brilliance
太和殿三台圭脚如意云纹 The Forbidden City: Detail of marble terrace of the Hall of Supreme Harmony (太和殿), showing a pattern of auspicious cloud at the base corner.钦安殿须弥座束腰椀花结带式纹（明初期），椀花头部出三瓣，飘带后尾剪刀状。 Detail of the narrow dado (束腰) of the xumizuo or shu-mi-tso base (须弥座) showing a ribbon wrapped, bowl-shaped flower pattern with three-petal flower head and scissor-like ribbon tail (Early Ming Dynasty), the Hall of Imperial Peace（钦安殿）元代断虹桥劵脸之吸水兽 An absorbent beast on the Duanhong Bridge built in Yuan Dynasty文渊阁石桥劵脸之吸水兽，建于清乾隆四十一年（1776年）。与断虹桥之吸水兽相比，其刻工要粗糙许多。 The Forbidden City: An absorbent beast on the Bridge of the Belvedere of Literary Profundity (文渊阁) made in 1776，the forty-first year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong, the Qing Dynasty. Compared with the one on the Duanhong Bridge, its engraving was much rougher
储秀宫雀替，清光绪十年（1884年）制 Carved wood bracket (雀替, literally in Chinese: sparrow brace) of the Palace of Gathered Elegance (储秀宫) , built in the tenth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu, Qing dynasty (1884)宁寿宫镂空云龙绦环板和云龙雀替（清乾隆） Details of the Taohuan panel boards and wood brackets with carved dragon and cloud patterns, built in the years of the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty养心殿抱厦隔架科，摄于2014年 The Ge-Jia-Ke Bracket Sets（隔架科） on the annexed veranda of the Hall of Mental Cultivation（养心殿）2014
钟粹宫竹纹裙板 The skirt panel boards of the Palace of Accumulated Purity（钟粹宫）with carved bamboo pattern交泰殿槅扇门看叶与扭头圈子 Latticework doors with decorations and ring handles of the Hall of Union（交泰殿）文渊阁绿琉璃瓦门罩，注意顶部有四套线装书 The jade-colored glazed-tile awning of the Belvedere of Literary Profundity (文渊阁) . Look closely at the top, there are four sets of thread-bound books.慈宁宫厢房门帘架 The curtain frame of the side room in the courtyard of the Palace of Compassion and Tranquillity (慈宁宫).
For some reason, the full map of the Forbidden City published by the National Palace Museum in Beiping in 1948 marked Chong Lou（崇楼） as Sui Lou（祟楼）。It seems that it is not a typo, because the English label matches it. The exact reason remains to be determined.
井亭 The well pavilion水压将 The hand press pump制造商名称 The name of the manufacturer
The well pavilion in the backyard of Yonghe Palace is very unique. There is a cast-iron hand press pump in it. You can find the name of THE GOULDS M’F’G. CO. casted on the pump. The manufacturer was originally a pump company in New York, started to use the name since 1869. It is now a brand owned by Xylem Inc. The palace was last restored in the 16th year of Guangxu (1890) [1], and it is likely that the press pump was installed during the renovation (to be confirmed) . Look carefully, you’ll find that the pump base has been broken. If you start counting in 1890, it will be 129 years old this year (2019).
