What is an observation post?

A lookout post is a post between fence boards, commonly known as an upright post. The watchcolumn is mainly composed of two parts: the stigma and the column body. The column body is relatively simple, mostly in the form of square columns, while the form of watchtower is mainly manifested in the stigma, and many different styles of stigma can be carved. According to the different forms of stigma, columns are divided into different types. Common stigma forms include lotus petal head, pomegranate head, moire pattern, dragon and phoenix pattern, twenty-four solar terms, etc., especially the local style stigma is rich in content, which can be various fruit shapes, animal shapes, figures, calligraphy and painting, etc. Some pillars are not carved, but in the form of a square head, and only two parts can be distinguished, while others are simply carved, with a desirable pattern carved on the square pillar.

Lotus petal head, pomegranate head, moire pattern and dragon and phoenix pattern are all well understood, that is, according to the image of the real thing, various forms of stigma are carved respectively. Seeing the stigma in the twenty-four solar terms is to carve twenty-four lines on the stigma to symbolize the twenty-four solar terms in a year, hence the name. Beijing Ditan is an altar corresponding to the Temple of Heaven, but its plane is square, so its function is to worship the earth. In the Ditan, the stone fence columns around the Zhai Palace adopt the form of twenty-four solar terms, symbolizing twenty-four solar terms in a year. The choice of watchtower stigma form depends on the environment in which the building is located. For example, the stigma appears in the form of lotus petals, such as lotus and lotus. , mostly used in gardens; The stigma of the 24 solar terms is mostly used in palace buildings or stone bridges and some buildings related to nature, such as the Temple of Heaven and Ditan.

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