I had no idea what this was when I took the pics! Turns out it's a qilin, a cuddly little guy you would want to take home with you .... not so much on first look, although if I understand correctly the limited readings I've just done, it is thought to have some positive energy associated with it if you're one of the 'good guys'. Here's a line or two from Wikipedia:
"The qilin is a mythical hooved chimerical creature known in Chinese and other East Asian cultures, said to appear with the imminent arrival or passing of a sage or illustrious ruler. It is a good omen thought to occasion prosperity or serenity. According to Taoist mythology, although they can look fearsome, qilin only punish the wicked, thus there are several variations of court trials and judgements based on qilin divinely knowing whether a defendant was good or evil, and guilty or innocent, in ancient lore and stories."
If you're like me and this is all new to you, here's wikipedia's explanation of chimerical: "The term chimera has come to describe any mythical or fictional animal with parts taken from various animals, or to describe anything composed of very disparate parts, or perceived as wildly imaginative, implausible, or dazzling."
There are many buildings around the Summer Palace Gardens. This one is the Hall of Benevolence and Longevity.
