Seated with one leg crossed on a stool and the other pressed against the ground, the figure holds his left arm in front of his chest and his right nestled against his leg. A groove in his right hand suggests that he once held onto and object, perhaps a weapon or staff that has since disappeared. The arched eyebrows, bulging eyes and menacing grimace convey ferocity and strength while the elaborate military dress and dignified demeanor, befitting of a royal guardian, exemplifies the virtues of loyalty and righteousness.
Called Heavenly Guardians (tian wang), these intimidating figures stand between heaven and earth, removing the forces of evil that wreck havoc in both realms. Spiritually and physically, they maintain peace throughout the universe. They also ensure perfect climate for agricultural growth that was a primary concern for rulers who wanted to remain ruling. They were endowed with the ability to regulate wind, rain, lightning and thunder; by doing so they could make a good person/country advance/bloom or destroy the bad and evil ones. Based on the belief in the inherent power of an image to bring about that which it represents, the Heavenly Guardians became a favorite subject for stone statuary that lined the roads to tombs, temples, ancestral halls, and palaces.