Bronze statue of the twelve zodiac animal heads in Yuanmingyuan - pig head

Bronze statue of the twelve zodiac animal heads in Yuanmingyuan - pig head

Originally part of the fountain outside the Haiyan Hall of the Yuanmingyuan. The pig head bronze statue represents the hour of Hai (21:00 to 23:00) 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 pig head bronze statue symbolizes wealth and auspiciousness, and is an important symbol in traditional Chinese culture. In 1860, the Anglo French coalition invaded China and set fire to the Old Summer Palace, causing the loss of pig head bronze statues overseas. In 2003, Macau entrepreneur Dr. Stanley Ho purchased a pig head bronze statue and donated it to the Poly Art Museum, allowing the pig head bronze statue to return to China.
Bronze Statue of the Twelve Zodiac Beasts in Yuanmingyuan - Dog Head

Bronze Statue of the Twelve Zodiac Beasts in Yuanmingyuan - Dog Head

Originally part of the fountain outside the Haiyan Hall of the Yuanmingyuan. The bronze statue of the dog's head represents the hour of Xu (19:00 to 21:00) 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 bronze statue of a dog's head 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 Old Summer Palace, causing the loss of the bronze dog head statue overseas. Until now, its whereabouts are still unknown. Like several other animal heads, its fate has become a symbol of the loss of cultural relics overseas from the Yuanmingyuan and a witness to the loss of Chinese cultural heritage.
Chinese Zodiac - Pig Statue

Chinese Zodiac - Pig Statue

The pig in the Chinese zodiac symbolizes wealth, good luck, and honesty. In traditional Chinese zodiac culture, the twelve earthly branches corresponding to the pig are "Hai", hence also known as "Hai Pig". With its gentle personality and rich image, it is regarded as a symbol of abundance and harvest. In the legends of the twelve zodiac animals, it appears with its simple, cute, and carefree image. Legend has it that in the process of selecting zodiac animals, although pigs move slowly, they ultimately succeed in obtaining their zodiac position through their honesty and kindness. In Chinese culture, the Year of the Pig is often considered a year full of opportunities and prosperity, suitable for accumulating wealth and enjoying life.