Dismounting stele

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A dismounting stele, in East Asian architecture, was a stele erected outside an important building or group of buildings giving notice for mounted travellers to dismount and for passengers of vehicles to exit the vehicle.

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Dismounting steles were placed in front of the gates to important buildings or institutions. These include imperial tombs, important temples and shrines, especially shrines to Confucius, important government offices, palaces, and the Imperial City. They can be placed singularly or in pairs. Whether such steles are placed in front of a particular building is dictated by rules of protocol. In imperial times, this was generally controlled by the Board of Rites. The Emperor may also grant the placement of a dismounting stele as a sign of favour towards an institution, group or person.

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