A pair of marble pillars, decorated with exquisite clouds and entwined dragons carvings, can be
often found in front of most large royal complexes. They were originally made of wood and used to
solicit public opinions from the people. They were also treated as landmarks or road signs. But
later they were only used to decorate important buildings.
The most famous Huabiaos are located at Tiananmen, two in front of the gate of Tiananmen and two
behind the gate. On top of the Huabiaos, there sits a mythical animal called Hou. It is believed
that the positioning of the Hous' heads was a reminder to the emperor of the hopes of the people.
The two behind the gate looking at the palace (north) mean expecting the emperor to go out often
and to understand the life of the people better. The two in front facing south express longing
for the emperor's return to run state affairs when he was absent from the palace for too long.
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