COLLECTIONS & CRITIQUES

The grotesque monument which stands in front of Boylston has been one of the great mysteries of Harvard Yard. During the past several years, many attempts have been made to solve the mystery. Some say that it formerly occupied a prominent position in the men's room of the Parker House; others maintain that it is the work of one Paul Bunyan who can be seen slipping casually through the Streets of Cambridge every Saturday evening after the football games; there is still a third school of thought, originating from the Sociology department, which insists that the monument indicates a cultural lag in the minds of those who accepted it and placed it in the Yard.

As a matter of fact, it was the gift of Fred Sze '18, President of the Harvard Club of Shanghai, who presented it to the University during the Tercentenary Celebration. The presentation was made on behalf of the Harvard alumni in China. The dragon-headed tortoise which supports the vertical stone occupies a very important but seemingly vague place in Chinese mythology. Sometimes it has been used as a cosmic emblem and sometimes as a symbol of uncleanliness, lack of chastity. Standing, as it does, between Boylston and Widener, it can hardly symbolize the latter. The inscription on the stone tablet is an expression of the donor's high regard for Harvard; it praises education, peace, and good will.

A critical estimate of the artistic value of the piece would require a greater knowledge of Chinese art than I have. It is impossible to give an intelligible and solid account of such a monument without understanding its symbolism, characters, and historical background. I suggest, however, that for these very reasons, some explanation of the monument and a translation of the inscription be provided by the University and placed in front of the piece.