What's the name of the pillar next to Tiananmen Square?

The pillar next to Tianan City Gate is called Huabiao, also called "Watchtower". Huabiao is a traditional architectural form in ancient China, which belongs to the huge stone pillars used for decoration in front of large buildings such as ancient palaces and tombs. According to legend, Hua Biao is a totem symbol of the tribal times, which was called Hua Biao in ancient times and appeared in the form of a watchtower.

The stone tablet on the Hua Biao in front of Tiananmen Square faces the outside of the palace, while the stone tablet on the Hua Biao in the back faces the inside of the palace. Therefore, in ancient legends, people called the stone tablet in front of the palace "Wang", which meant that they hoped that the emperor would not go out for a long time and should return to the palace to deal with state affairs. The stone jar facing the palace is called "I hope you come out", and the emperor is advised not to stay in the palace all the time for fun, but to go outside the palace often to understand the sufferings of the people.

The Historical Origin of Huabiao

According to legend, Hua Biao not only served as a road sign, but also as a message to passers-by, which appeared in the Yao and Shun era of primitive society.

At that time, people set up a wooden post on the main road to identify roads and signs, and later postal kiosks and houses also used it as a sign. Its name is "ring wood" or "standard wood", and later it was collectively called "ring wood". Because the ancient "Huan" and "Hua" were similar, they gradually became "Hua Biao".

On this wooden post, pedestrians can write opinions on it, so it was also called "slander wood" or "slander wood" in ancient times. The word "slander" means to discuss right and wrong, but in modern times it means to make suggestions, so it also has the function of modern "suggestion box".