Originally part of the fountain outside the Haiyan Hall of the Yuanmingyuan. The bronze statue of the monkey's head represents the hour of Shen (15:00 to 17:00) and is one of the twelve zodiac bronze statues. It was designed by European missionary, Italian Lang Shining, supervised by French Jiang Youren, and produced by Qing court craftsmen. The monkey head bronze statue is renowned for its exquisite casting techniques and the fusion of Eastern and Western art. In 1860, the Anglo French coalition invaded China and set fire to the Yuanmingyuan, causing the monkey head bronze statue to begin to be lost overseas. In the 1980s, it was purchased by China Poly Group for HKD 8.185 million at Christie's auction house and is now housed in the Poly Art Museum.

Symbolizing wit, flexibility, and liveliness. In traditional Chinese zodiac culture, the twelve earthly branches corresponding to the monkey are "Shen", hence also known as "Shen Monkey". Due to its intelligence, wit, and playful nature, it is regarded as a symbol of wisdom and skill. In the legends of the twelve zodiac animals, it appears in the form of wit and agility. According to legend, in the process of selecting zodiac animals, with his flexible skills and clever mind, he cleverly utilized the help of other animals and ultimately won the position of zodiac animal. In Chinese culture, the Year of the Monkey is often considered a year full of vitality and creativity, suitable for pursuing new ideas and challenges. Often appearing in art and folklore