The mystery behind the lop-eared lions in the Forbidden City, a thousand years without an answer

The Forbidden City is a symbol of the power and splendor of ancient China. Located in the middle of Beijing, this work is not only the place where 24 emperors of the Ming and Qing dynasties were associated, but also the greatest ancient architectural masterpiece.

With its large scale, sophisticated architecture and special cultural and historical values, the Forbidden City has been recognized by UNESCO as a "World Cultural Heritage" and is listed as the 5 most famous palaces in the world, shoulder to shoulder with the Palace of Versailles (France), Buckingham (UK), etc The White House (USA) and the Kremlin (Russia).

The Forbidden City – a treasure trove of architecture and human history

Started construction in the early 15th century during the Ming Dynasty, the Forbidden City is more than 720,000 square meters, including more than 9,000 rooms. Every detail here reflects the sophistication and great creativity of tens of thousands of artisans and craftsmen during decades of construction.

Not only is it a center of political power, the Forbidden City today is also a museum that houses a huge collection of antiquities. According to statistics, this place owns more than 1,052,653 artifacts, accounting for 1/6 of the total number of Chinese cultural relics. Precious collections include paintings, ceramics, bronzes, jade, calligraphy... of the Ming and Qing dynasties. This makes the Palace one of the world's largest and most valuable ancient culture museums.

Stone lion and bronze lion – symbols of royal authority

Walking through the Forbidden City, visitors can easily come across pairs of stone lions or gilded bronze lions placed in front of the entrances of the palaces. In Asian culture, lions have long been seen as a symbol of majesty, strength, and power. Placing a lion in front of the palace door has the connotation of protecting, driving away evil spirits, and bringing good luck and prosperity to the court.

Pairs of lions are often extremely elaborately shaped: big heads, ruffled manes, massive bodies, sharp claws, and bells on their necks. In particular, they appear in pairs – one male, one female – to symbolize the balance of yin and yang. The male lion often lies on the right, stepping on the hydrangea ball – a symbol of the power of the whole world; and the lioness on the left, at her feet is a lion cub – a symbol of the fertility and prosperity of the royal family.

The mystery of the lions with their ears down

One of the most curious details is the image of lions with their ears down in some of the large gates in the Forbidden City. Many people wonder: why do majestic lions, which are associated with power and might, have drooping ears, which seem to diminish the majesty somewhat?

According to researchers, this is not only a coincidence in the art of sculpture, but also contains the deep intentions of the Qing emperors. During this period, the harem and courtiers were strictly forbidden to interfere in the affairs of the court. The carving of the lion with its ears drooping is a subtle reminder: "Do not hear, do not see, do not speak, and do not discuss political matters."

The lions with their ears thus became a symbol of control, discipline and strict order in the palace, and at the same time represented the supreme power of the emperor – the only one who had the right to decide all the affairs of the nation.

Strict feng shui rules

In the art of feng shui, the placement of lions must also follow strict rules. The pair of lions is always placed facing outwards, looking directly at the gate to prevent evil qi from entering. If placed in the wrong place, such as swapping male and female lions, it will be considered a violation, which can easily bring bad omens to the family.

In particular, if one of the lions is damaged or has a problem, the whole pair must be replaced, absolutely not replaced. This concept originates from the image of the lion, which is considered a beast, when it appears, there must be a pair with a pair to fully ensure the meaning of protection and balance of feng shui.

Besides the splendid architecture, the Forbidden City is also a place to keep the secrets, life philosophies and ways of ruling the country of the ancients. Every detail, from the layout of the room, the color of the golden tiles, to the image of lions with their ears down, carries a story, a message.

Today, the Forbidden City is a must-see destination for tourists when arriving in Beijing. Millions of visitors come here every year not only to admire the architectural beauty, but also to feel the breath of history, the majesty of the Eastern empire that has existed for more than 500 years.

The Forbidden City is not just an ancient palace, but also a testament to the wisdom, art, and power of the Chinese feudal dynasties. The majestic pairs of lions with drooping ears are a unique symbol, reflecting the Qing emperor's ruling ideology: maintaining order, maintaining supreme power, and reminding the harem and martial officials to be "obedient" within the framework.

For hundreds of years, these lion statues still stand tall at the palace gate, as immortal witnesses to the glorious and mysterious history of the Forbidden City – an invaluable cultural heritage of mankind.

Mystery of the water source in the Forbidden City: Did the emperor and concubines not drink well water? Khánh Linh21:40:20 16/09/2025Strange but true, although the Forbidden City had many wells, the emperor and his concubines never drank the water stored in the wells. This remains a mystery that has existed for thousands of years.