| has gloss | eng: A luduan (甪端 pinyin lù duān) was a beast which could detect truth, in the Chinese mythology. Thus in the Qing dynasty, rulers such as the Qianlong Emperor would surround his throne with luduan in order to properly subdue his subjects. In the adjacent image, the luduan were incense burners. The enamelled charcoal braziers next to the Dragon Throne may not actually have been so close, but since Forbidden City in Beijing is at the latitude of Chicago, the Emperor may have required the braziers for comfort. (These artifacts from the Forbidden City are currently visiting the U.S. on loan from Beijing.) |
