To effectively protect Chinese ancient timber buildings, three types of twolayer toukungs(wood brackets)—an intermediate set, a column set and a corner set—from the Taihe Palace of the Forbidden City, were taken as examples to study their bearing performance under vertical loads. Based on structural characteristics of the toukungs, 1∶2 ratio models were built, on which vertical loading experiments were carried out. Information regarding modes of damage, internal forces and deformation of the toukungs were recorded. Then a vertical stiffness model for the toukungs was calculated and developed. The results show that under vertical loads, the top layer of the toukungs could be easily damaged. Compared to the underparts, the upper parts of the toukungs bear more forces. For different toukungs, it is found that the maximum bearable forces vary as follows:intermediate set ＜ corner set ＜ column set, for ultimate bearing capacity; column set ＜ corner set ＜ intermediate set,for deformation; and corner set ＜ column set ＜ intermediate set, for ductility. Under vertical loads, the calculated model for toukung vertical stiffness can be simplified and in lined with threepart polygonal lines.