Copperplate of West Side of Hall of National Peace
Located to the east of Belvedere and basically completed in the 24th Year of Qianlong’s reign, Hall of National Peace is the largest garden scenery of European Palaces Scenic Zone. The main building of Hall of National Peace faces the west. Dozens of arc-shaped stone steps embrace the fountain downstairs. In the west of the pond, a stone carved shell with the decoration of foreign flowers stands high. On the V-shaped platform around the pond stand 12 bronze statues with animal heads and human bodies, the animals being those representing the 12 earthly branches. In every two hours, water is sprayed out successively from each animal's mouth. In the noon, the 12 animal heads spray water together. People can estimate time by looking at which animal is spraying. Thus the fountain is also called the "Water Clock."