▁a ▁semi - oct ag onal ▁arch , ▁ ▁wide ▁and ▁ ▁high , ▁at ▁either ▁end . ▁ ▁The ▁edges ▁of ▁the ▁arch es ▁on ▁both ▁sides , ▁and ▁the ▁inner ▁walls ▁and ▁ce il ings ▁of ▁the ▁passage way ▁are ▁decor ated ▁with ▁bas - rel ief ▁car v ings ▁of ▁Buddh ist ▁images , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁ins cri ptions ▁of ▁Buddh ist ▁texts ▁in ▁six ▁different ▁scripts . ▁ ▁The ▁Buddh ist ▁icon ography ▁is ▁typical ▁of ▁the ▁Sak ya ▁school ▁of ▁Tib et an ▁Buddh ism , ▁and ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁bring ▁bless ings ▁on ▁those ▁who ▁passed ▁through ▁the ▁passage way , ▁and ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁Y uan ▁state ▁and ▁its ▁capital ▁from ▁mis fort une . ▁ ▁Both ▁the ▁north ▁and ▁the ▁south ▁arch ▁have ▁the ▁same ▁symmet rical ▁decor ation . ▁ ▁On ▁each ▁side ▁of ▁each ▁arch ▁is ▁a ▁crossed ▁v aj ra ▁( vi ś v ava j ra ), ▁above ▁which ▁is ▁an ▁ele ph ant ▁sur mount ed ▁by ▁a ▁youth ▁r iding ▁a ▁myth ical ▁creature . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁peak ▁of ▁each ▁arch ▁is ▁a ▁gar uda ▁catch ing ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁half - human , ▁half - s nake ▁nag ar aja . ▁ ▁The ▁ends ▁of ▁the ▁inner ▁walls ▁are ▁decor ated ▁with ▁large ▁images , ▁, ▁of ▁the ▁Four ▁Heaven ly ▁Kings ▁( also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁four ▁De va ▁Kings ), ▁each ▁with ▁various ▁attend ants , ▁and ▁t reading ▁on ▁dem ons ▁or ▁g