Four reliefs of the "Four Sacred Animals" (the Dragon, the Unicorn, the Turtle, and the Phoenix) are placed on a roof-shaped support frame built in the style of Vietnamese traditional architecture, evoking the image of a father teaching his children inside a peaceful home. The father's instructions for his children on how to live and how to behave in every step of their growth are one of the factors that form the Vietnamese family, giving them the first lessons in the true spirit of "humanity". This is why the father is considered as a child's first teacher.
The images of the four sacred animals have long been a feature of Vietnamese religious architecture, but each animal often stands alone. Only at the Temple of Literature do the images of these four mascots appear together as pairs of fathers teaching their children. The origin of these images are the four sculptures carved on top of the Four Pillars in front of the Great Portico.