Ebony Hill Square

　　   Ebony Hill Square is divided into three sections — one main square and two auxiliary squares: the Solar Calendar Square, the Jianyi Sculpture Square, and the Human Sundial Sculpture Square, covering a total area of 23,000 square meters. A number of ancient-style astronomical instruments are divided into three categories and placed in the three squares respectively. The main Solar Calendar Square is surrounded by nine gnomon pillars made of granite. With undulating heights and rich designs, each pillar is adorned with bronze relief carvings featuring taotie patterns, dragon motifs, and phoenix designs, giving the pillars a sense of dynamic upward lift and visually reflecting the changes in time and solar terms.

　　   The central feature of the auxiliary Jianyi Sculpture Square is the “Jianyi,” modeled after the armillary sphere invented by the Yuan Dynasty astronomer Guo Shoujing. The entire Jianyi sculpture was cast using the traditional Chinese lost-wax bronze casting technique, with two dragon pillars coiled around both the northern and southern poles, creating an elegant form.

　　   The other Human Sundial Sculpture Square features twelve copper ore stones placed around the perimeter, each engraved with one of the twelve zodiac signs. At the center is the “Human Sundial,” where people can use themselves as the gnomon, measuring time and identifying constellations through the shadows they cast.