Transportation Sculpture

1. Chastity Memorial Arch

This work was originally hung on the decorated archway, however, due to the malicious damage in the Cultural Revolution, only this part is left. Chastity Memorial Arch is used to praise the ancient women’s lofty sentiment of constancy and not remarrying. They got married with one husband only, even their husbands passed away, they would never remarry but live in widowhood. Moreover, the story of Su Wu tending ram can be described by the spirit of Chastity Memorial Arch as well. Su Wu resolutely refused to give in even drank snow and swallowed the felt when he was imprisoned in the ice hole by chief of the Xiongnu. Afterwards, he was dispatched to the North Seaside to tend the rams. He would be released to return his court after the rams producing milk. Su Wu persisted for 19 years and didn’t give in regardless of the carrot and stick and fearless of hardship and affliction. This is also the manifestation of chasteness.  

2. Civil and Military Officials’ Dismounting Stone Tablet

It was erected in March of Reign of Emperor Jiaqing in Qing Dynasty before the cemetery gardens or imperial mausoleums, which was a kind of esteem to the dead. Whether you were a plain citizen or a civil or military official, you must remove your transportation tools and walk by, generally, civil officials stepped down the sedan chair and military officials dismounted from the horses. There is a story: the son of a Superior Prefecture Shih named Shih Ke-huo was not engaged in decent works but addicted to horse riding, archery, stealing, philandering and ostensible obedience exploiting his father's office. One day, he intruded into a cemetery garden on horse to capture a spotted deer and exasperated the Ji Lao-tong who guarded the cemetery garden. He was then punished and reported to the emperor for severe penalty. From then on, the Emperor Taiding erected the dismounting stone tablet to remind the ancestor worshipers to be solemn but not impertinent. 

3. Stone Statue of Juan Weng-chong

It is the work of Qin Dynasty. Weng-chong was very loyal to Qin Shihuang, achieved notable merits for the state of Qin and was one of the most beloved military officers of Qin Shihuang. When he died of old age, Qin Shihuang was very reluctant to part with him and casted 12 fine-gold statues in memory of him. However, they were stolen by worthless fellows. Hence, the gold statues were replaced by stone ones in memory of his loyalty and braveness. They were placed in Qin Shihuang’s mausoleum from then on in memory of the valuable friendship between Qin Shihuang and him.

4. Mansion of Prince

It is from Li shu-chen (Yehe Nara Clan), the wife of the 6^th Prince Gong. The status of Mansion of Princeis second only to the imperial palace, the architectural structure of which is grand as well. Large and small lions at the door tell us about the hierarchy. The Mansionof Princeis gorgeous and solemn and is the work of Qing Dynasty. The imperial edict writes the divine troops descending from heaven, favorable weather and the date of tablet inscriptions (1897).  

5. Dragon Fish

This artistic work is called as Dragon Fish, which is made of blue jade. The front part of the dragon fish is bronzing due to long-term oxidation, while, the rear fish tail can be used as penholder. There is an interesting fairy tale about this: it is said that there were 9 carps cultivating in the lotus pond. They would leap into a gate to become a dragon after Jade Emperor thought their cultivation was enough, which is the story about “A carp Leaping into the Dragon's Gate”. However, when the last carp was leaping into the gate, a lightning stroke the gate and broke it down, thus the last carp became an animal with dragon head and fish tail, i.e. the Dragon Fish. 

6. Turtle Dragon

According to legend, if someone won the champion, the Turtle Dragon would manifest carrying the roll. Turtle Dragon made of gray jade is also called as pelochelys bibroni. 

7.Happiness & Longevity Ganoderma Ruyi

This article was used to offer birthday congratulations to the emperor. The carvings on it stand for different significance: five bats stand for five blessings, birthday peach stands for longevity and ganoderma stands for the good wishes on the thriving nimbus of the emperor. It is an article carved by boxwood through openwork carving technology and is dated from Qing Dynasty.

8. Ivory Carving about Goddess Chang's flying to the Moon

This work carved the condition that Goddess Chang’s flied to the moon after she ate Hou Yi’s elixir of life. This work is caved by 5 ivories, the unattractive moon is the focus of which. The exquisite caving includes 52 layers, which is better than 43 layers of the ImperialPalace.

9. Meat-shaped Stone

This work forms naturally by white jade and rose stone. When these two jades mix together, the precious extraordinary view occurs and looks like real meat. 

10. Efficacious Stone about an Axe to Save a Country

An Axe to Save a Country is the symbol of filial piety. This antique describes the story of dutiful son Chen Xiang: Chen Xiang’s mother was the Goddess of Huashan Mountain and his father was Liu Yian-chang. They got married but violate the divine law, thus the Goddess of Huashan Mountain was imprisoned in HuashanMountain. In his 17 years, Chen Xiang beat the son of a corrupt official to death accidentally. His little brother took the rap for him and his father asked him to save his mother in Huashan Mountain, he then discovered that blood ran in his body was the mixture of immortals and mortals’. His uncle is God Erlang and especially in charge of HuashanMountain, who was moved by Chen Xiang’s filial behaviors and turned on the water to let Chen Xiang win. Chen Xiang cleaved HuashanMountain, his tears fell into the pond and lotuses bloomed all over, which moved the immortals in heaven as well as the Jade Emperor and the Queen Mother of the West, who rescued Chen Xiang’s mother at last. 

11. Mansionof Champion

In 1825, the successful candidate Ban-ting Wang won the title of imperial conferred scholar at the age of 25. He was diligent and loyal to the ruler, cherished the people and loved his country, and was the minister to three emperors. In 1879, Japanese Envoy carried the war to Ryukyu and ordered Shang Tai, the King of Ryukyu not to present tributes to Chinabut Shang Tai didn’t listen to him. Then Japancompelled Shang Tai to enter its court and then Shang Tai appealed to Chinafor emergency help. However, Qing government was powerless to dispatch troops but Japandispatched warships to land on the island, capture Shang Tai and change the base as OkinawaCountyand Ryukyu was conquered. In 1880, Emperor Guangxu issued the imperial edict to bestow the longevity champion. Ban-ting Wang was 80 years old and obtained a golden inscribed tablet [moral prestige of one’s 80 years] to bestow him as a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations, a champion appointed to Ryukyu by imperial order and a first-rank official emissary.                    
    In 1980, Mr. Wang, the curator of Lujhou City The Forbidden City Museum discovered Mansionof Championand the stone tablet of the Champion Well. In the Cultural Revolution of Chinese Mainland, they were destroyed, which was unendurable for Curator Wang. He was afraid of the antique flow-out, purchased it through heavy investment and moved it from Fujianto Taiwanto keep the cultural relic. In Lujhou City The Forbidden City Museum, the Mansionof Championwas rebuilt in 1997. In 2000, 1576 Dacheng Kuihsinggong, Guansheng Emperor, Wenchang Emperor, Meizhou Zumiao Tianshang Shengmu, and deities that govern official examinations were deified in the Mansion of Champion to bless the believers, readers and students to enhance their wisdom, make progress in their school work, be smooth in examinations and achieve success and win recognition, which made the stupid smart and the puzzled intelligent, spread the filial piety civilization and assisted the power of official positions and riches. 

12. Boat of Qing Dynasty

Boat-shaped olive-stone carving (extra): ellipse long-narrow boat and the natural external margin arc of olive nut as the boat bottom and matting cover, with a relief carving on the cover top just like wind surf and rope. The olive-stone caving base held in this museum is engraved with “Ode to Chibi”.      
    Q: Besides Qing Dynasty, is there any work similar to boat-shaped olive-stone carving in the other dynasties?

A: Yes, there have been the similar works ever since Ming Dynasty (Manchurian).

Source: Lujhou City The Forbidden City Museum