To　effectively　protect　Chinese　ancient　timber　buildings,　bracket　sets　(tou-kung)　of　1st　eave　of　Taihe　Palace　in　the　Forbidden　City　were　taken　as　an　example　to　investigate　the　bearing　performances　of　Chinese　ancient　＇liujin＇　type　of　bracket　sets　under　vertical　loads.　Based　on　constitution　characteristics　of　intermediate　set,　column　set　and　corner　set,　models　with　a　geometrical　scaled　ratio　of　1　to　2　were　built,　and　experiments　under　vertical　loading　were　carried　out.　By　the　experiments,　damage　modes,　internal　forces　and　deformation　of　the　bracket　sets　were　discussed.　In　addition,　a　calculation　model　for　vertical　stiffness　of　the　bracket　sets　was　deduced.　The　experimental　results　show　that　under　vertical　loads,　the　top　2-layer　parts　of　the　bracket　sets　are　easy　to　damage.　Compared　with　the　underparts,　the　upper　parts　of　the　bracket　sets　bear　more　loads.　In　three　types　of　the　bracket　sets,　i.e.,　column　set,　corner　set　and　intermediate　set,　column　set　and　intermediate　set　have　respectively　the　largest　and　smallest　ultimate　bearing　capacities;　intermediate　set　has　the　greatest　deformation　and　residual　deformation,　and　corner　set　comes　second;　compared　with　column　set,　intermediate　set　has　a　great　ductility　performance,　while　the　ductility　performance　of　corner　set　is　small.　The　internal　force　of　back　part　of　the　balance　arm　is　small.　Under　vertical　loads,　the　calculation　model　for　vertical　stiffness　of　the　bracket　sets　can　be　simplified　as　a　3-line　model.　©,　2015,　Science　Press.　All　right　reserved.