The lions, cranes, and dragons in the Shouhuang Hall

I've been to Jingshan Park many times, but this is my first time visiting the Shouhuang Hall, located on the central axis behind Jingshan Mountain. This is where the royal family worshiped and enshrined the portraits of their ancestors.‌ Unlike the Imperial Ancestral Temple, which was mainly used for national-level sacrifices, the Imperial Ancestral Temple enshrined the ancestors of the royal family and ministers who made great contributions to the court. The Shouhuang Hall focused more on family and personal sacrifices. In addition to enshrining the images of royal ancestors, it also enshrined the tablets and portraits of empresses and imperial concubines. This was also the location of the Beijing Children's Palace. The lions, cranes, and other animals here give people a sense of joy, intimacy, and kindness. The lions at the door have a different demeanor from those seen elsewhere, lively and cute; the cranes are also smiling... a scene of harmony. Dragons are always majestic, capable of anything, and full of power. The animal images gathered together seem to be united, tense, serious, and lively...