Houyou Men Gate at Forbidden City in Beijing, China - Encircle Photos

Houyou Men Gate at Forbidden City in Beijing, China

At the base of the stairs on both sides of the Three Great Halls is a small gate. They are the transition between the Outer and Inner Courts. This Rear Right Gate (Houyou men) is on the west side. Notice the water spouts shaped as dragons. They are designed to channel and drain rainwater. In Chinese mythology, the dragon (lóng or lung) has auspicious powers over water, rainfall and floods. There are 1,412 of these marble dragon heads surrounding the grand terrace at the core of the Outer Court. Curiously, the dragons in the corners do not have a water spout in their mouth.

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Houyou Men Gate at Forbidden City in Beijing, China

Meridian Gate, Dongcheng Qu, Donghuamen Rd, Beijing Shi, China, 100006

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