Known as? Mother river? The Yellow River has provided China with abundant water and fertile soil, which has given birth to Chinese civilization. As a result, the Yellow River often overflows, and water control has become a livelihood issue for generations. Today, four iron oxen unearthed at the Pujin Ferry site in Yongji, Shanxi Province were cast to control the Yellow River flood during the Kaiyuan period of the Tang Dynasty. In the Book of Changes? Niu Xiang Kun, Kun belongs to soil, and soil is better than water? According to the theory of five elements, the earth can suppress and contain the flood of the Yellow River by placing iron cows on both sides of the Yellow River. According to records, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty tried his best to cast these four iron cows to guard the Yellow River, built a huge cast iron project on the bank of the Yellow River, and collected more than 80% of the cast iron furnaces in the whole Tang Dynasty. 800 tons of iron was poured into the furnace, and the burning fire below heated the boiler continuously to melt it into molten iron and cast these four iron cows. For the purpose of cultural relics protection and historical research, the excavation of iron cattle has been put on the agenda. With the support of the local government, after more than one year of investigation and positioning, four yellow river iron cows were successfully salvaged. The iron ox is exquisite in shape, lifelike, simple and honest, and represents the highest and superior cast iron technology in the prosperous Tang Dynasty and Kaiyuan Shi Sheng.
But then, we face a big problem: how to put and preserve these four iron cows? Because the Yellow River Iron Bull is an unusual cultural relic and easy to rust and oxidize, what's more, it has a history of 1200 years and weighs more than 70 tons. If it is not handled properly, it may cause irreparable losses, so experts have a headache. After many discussions and studies, it was finally decided to put the iron ox in the open air to avoid the damage caused by the large-scale movement of cultural relics, which is more conducive to the protection, promotion and research of cultural relics. Today, four iron cows still stand quietly on the beach of the Yellow River, silently demonstrating the subjective initiative of ancient people in the management of the Yellow River.