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With a total area of 440,000 square meters, the Tian’anmen Square, located in the center of Beijing, is the largest of its kind. Over a hundred years, many ceremonies and demonstrations have been held here.

The grand Tian’anmen Gate (Heavenly Peace Gate) is a national symbol with the Great Hall of the People on the western side and the Museum of the Chinese Revolution and the Museum of Chinese History to its east and west.

The Monument to the People’s Heroes — the 36 meters high obelisk made of Qingdao granite, dominates the center of the square. The Chairman Mao Memorial Hall and the Qianmen gate, sit in the south.

Tian’anmen Gate

Tian’anmen Gate (Gate of Heavenly Peace) was built in the 15th century and restored in the 17th century. From imperial days, the yellow glaze-tiled double-eave tower functioned as a rostrum for proclaiming pronouncements to the assembled masses. On October 1, 1949, Chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the new China here. The tower has five doors and in front of it are seven bridges spanning a stream. Only the emperor could use the central door and bridge. On the top of the central door is a gigantic portrait of Chairman Mao with slogans on each side saying ‘Long Live the People’s Republic of China’ and ‘Long Live the Unity of the Peoples of the World’. The gate leads to the imperial city — the Forbidden City.

Hua Biao

Right beside a pair of marble lions in front of the Tian’anmen Gate stand obelisk marble columns engraved with entwining dragons and clouds — an ornamental architecture called Hua Biao. Its history can be traced back to the Yao and Shun, legendary kings in remote antiquity. It is said that, to improve the quality of governance, wooden crosses were erected at marketplaces for people to write down complaints. During the Han Dynasty (206 BC-220 AD), wooden posts were replaced by stone pillars, which gradually developed into the sumptuous columns that lead to palace gates. Hua Biao can usually be found in imperial gardens and mausoleums.

On top of the Hua Biao is a plate-like disc called Chenglupan (dew-collecting) on which squats an animal called Kong (a legendary animal for keeping guard) facing the south. They were called “Wangjungui” or “looking forward to the emperor’s return”, which watched over the emperor’s excursions and called him back. The couple inside the gate facing north, called Wangjunchu or “looking forward to the emperor’s progress”, was considered to supervise the emperor’s behavior in the court when he neglect court affairs.

（Source: chinaculture.org）