Roofline Ornaments in the Forbidden City

Roofline Ornaments - 9

At the head of the procession will be a man riding a Phoenix. One legend suggests that this represents a minion of the emperor who grew greedy for power and was hanged from the roof gable for treason. Another version of this figurine is an immortal riding a fenghuang-bird or qilin. Yet another interpretation is that this is a person serving the emperor, being watched by the following beasts.