The pig, ox, monkey, and tiger heads - these four bronzes, representing the Chinese astrological zodiac animals' heads, were commissioned by Imperial command. Together they formed part of the famous horological fountain outside the Hall of the Calm Sea, one of the European palaces in the garden of the Yuanmingyuan outside Beijing. The 12 zodiac animals' heads adorn the water-clock fountain and also have the function of giving the correct time, which corresponds with the traditional Chinese time (one of the 12 two-hour periods into which the day was traditionally divided, each being given the name of one of the 12 Earthly Branches) Each zodiac animal would spray water at the corresponding time. The 12 zodiac animals would spray water in unison at the afternoon. Therefore, people judge the time according to the different animals.
The bronzes are a perfect combination of Western and Chinese arts, and hold a very important position in the history of Chinese sculpture.
The relics were looted from the old Summer Palace in Beijing by French and British troops in 1860. The tiger, monkey, and ox heads had been sold at auctions in London, New York and Hong Kong between 1987 and 1991. In 2000, the China Poly Group bought the three "heads" for 33 million Hong Kong dollars (US$4.2 million) at auctions in Hong Kong. In 2003, a priceless bronze pig's head was returned home. Macao entrepreneur Stanley Ho donated 6 million yuan (about US$722, 892) to buy back the sculpture from an American art collector, after which it was donated to the Poly Art Museum in Beijing. So far, only the whereabouts of seven are known; the rat and rabbit are in a private European collection and the dragon, snake, chicken, dog and sheep heads are still missing.
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