Liujin　Constitution　for　tou-kungs　(bracket　sets)　of　Taihe　Palace　in　the　Forbidden　City　represented　the　highest　level　of　tou-kungs　in　Ming　and　Qing　dynasty.　To　effectively　protect　Chinese　ancient　buildings,　tou-kungs　of　1st　eave　of　Taihe　Palace　were　statically　tested　for　their　lateral　seismic　performance.　Based　on　actual　sizes　of　intermediate　set,　column　set　and　corner　set　of　tou-kungs,　the　corresponding　1/2-scale　models　(one　model　for　each　type　of　tou-kung)　were　fabricated.　The　tou-kungs　were　loaded　in　transverse　or　longitudinal　direction,　respectively,　and　tested　in　low-cycle　reversed　loading　conditions.　Hysteretic　curves　of　force-lateral　displacement　(F-u)　as　well　as　the　skeleton　curves　of　the　models　were　obtained.　Furthermore,　the　seismic　parameters　of　tou-kungs,　such　as　ductility,　energy　dissipation　capability,　stiffness　degradation,　were　studied　and　compared,　and　a　simplified　calculation　model　was　proposed　for　the　lateral　stiffness　of　tou-kungs.　Results　show　that　under　lateral　loads,　tou-kungs　of　1st　eave　of　Taihe　Palace　possess　obvious　slippage　characteristic　and　poor　restoring　capability.　Stress　states　of　tou-kungs　may　vary　with　the　loading　direction.　With　the　increase　of　u,　the　value　of　F　may　firstly　increase,　then　decrease,　and　finally　tend　to　be　stable.　For　different　types　of　tou-kungs,　the　ultimate　bearing　capacity　Fm　may　be　ordered　as　Fm　(corner　set)＞Fm　(column　set,　transverse　loading)＞Fm　(intermediate　set,　transverse　loading)＞Fm(intermediate　set,　longitudinal　loading)＞Fm　(column　set,　longitudinal　loading);　the　ductility　coefficient　μ　may　be　ordered　as　μ(column　set,　longitudinal　loading)＞μ　(intermediate　set,　longitudinal　loading)＞μ(column　set,　transverse　loading)＞μ(corner　set)＞μ　(intermediate　set,　transverse　loading);　the　energy　dissipation　capability　S　may　be　ordered　as　S　(intermediate　set,　longitudinal　loading)＞S　(column　set,　transverse　loading)＞S　(corner　set)＞S　(intermediate　set,　transverse　loading)＞S　(column　set,　longitudinal　loading).　Compared　to　the　other　2　types　of　tou-kungs,　degeneration　of　the　lateral　stiffness　of　column　set　of　tou-kungs　may　not　be　obvious.　The　simplified　calculation　model　for　the　lateral　stiffness　of　tou-kungs　can　be　represented　by　three　line　segments　with　the　sequential　deceased　lateral　stiffness.　©　2016,　Editorial　Office　of　China　Civil　Engineering　Journal.　All　right　reserved.