Legend

There is a pair of long-bodied iron cranes in the courtyard of the Qingzhou Museum, which came from the House of King Heng of the Ming Dynasty. King Heng Zhu You-horse was the seventh son of Emperor Xianzong Zhu Jishen of the Ming Dynasty, and was crowned King Heng in the 23rd year of the Chenghua era (1487 AD), and in the 12th year of the Hongzhi era (1499), he was a vassal of Qingzhou and constructed the House of the King of Heng.

The pair of iron cranes originally stored in the Yunxia River Township when the store of the iron crane in the view. Weighing about 3 tons, up to 4.2 meters. Iron crane is cast in sections, the legs and turtles for the solid, while the body of the crane for the cavity, is typical of the outer mold within the model casting technology. Two pieces of iron crane are cast in the chest inscription. From the inscription, the two cranes were cast in the twelfth year of the Wanli reign (1584) and the fifteenth year of the Wanli reign (1587) by the subordinates of the King of Heng and concubines.

The crane has a long neck, high feet, and a slightly open mouth, with its feet standing on top of the turtle's back. Tortoise four feet on the ground, in the form of lying down. Around the back of the turtle is decorated with eight trigrams, meaning that the turtle and crane to prolong life, health, longevity. The crane as a whole seems to be lifelike, still see movement, movement in the quiet, seems to lead the neck to chirp.

The inscription reads:

The king's family store in the south of Qingzhou is the king's house of honor (the son-in-law of the royal prince, the king of the county), when the king of honor of the king to be. When and where the king's honorary guest to be examined.

It is said that the birth of this pair of iron cranes is related to the ancient Chinese legend Zhang Sanfeng. Then this pair of iron crane casting in the end what special significance. What kind of relationship do they have with Zhang Sanfeng?

During the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, the Great Ancestor, established the feudal system of kings with the same surname. They guarded the country's major border fortresses. King Heng's House, located in Qingzhou, Shandong Province, has a long history. The fourth king of Heng was named Zhu Zaifeng. In 1584, on his first day in office, Zhu Zaifeng, the king of Heng, had his subordinates post a notice on the city wall. The notice ordered officials at all levels in Qingzhou, Shandong Province, to search carefully for a man named Zhang Sanfeng. And at the end of the notice promises, anyone once the search is successful, will be rewarded ten thousand taels of gold. Who is Zhang Sanfeng and why do we have to search for him?

Zhang Sanfeng was a Taoist priest of the Ming Dynasty, named Jun Bao. Because of his dirty clothes and casual behavior. Folk also gave him the name, Zhang Dirt. Legend has it that Zhang Sanfeng's figure was in the shape of a tortoise with a crane back and large ears and round eyes. So that is, with a pair of big ears and big eyes eyebrows and beard and hair, are like steel needle upright. Turtle-shaped crane back shows that Zhang Sanfeng has a very serious pot disease, which is compared with the modern movie and television drama Zhang Sanfeng suave image, is really a big difference. There are many ancient folk legends about Zhang Sanfeng. For example, he traveled around wearing only a single garment regardless of the alternation of summer and cold. The most famous of the many legends is that he was proficient in longevity immortal art, and most of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty were very believers in Taoism. They longed for the legendary Taoist magic. They longed for the legendary Taoist immortality, and Zhu Yuanzhang, the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and his four sons had repeatedly summoned the world to send people to search for Zhang Sanfeng, the legendary immortal who lived forever. As the King of Heng, the son and grandson of the Dragon, Zhu Zai Feng of course also dreamed of becoming immortal one day. So he started to look for the legendary Zhang Sanfeng with great efforts.

There is also a story about the whereabouts of Zhang Sanfeng, a year Qinzhou was hit by a catastrophe, the crops in the fields were not harvested, the people have nothing to eat, a ragged old man collapsed on the side of the road, while the old man is still lying next to a dying crane, a villager called Shisong passed by and saw the old man and the crane fainted, and the heart of the last handful of millet left at home boiled into a gruel for the old man and the white crane to drink. The last handful of millet left in the house was boiled into porridge for the old man and the crane to drink. The old man and the crane woke up after drinking the porridge. They saw that he had regained his spirit in the twinkling of an eye. He looked dignified and had a bun in the center of his head. Spirited, then the old man opened his mouth to speak to the stone pine said I am known as Zhang Dirt Zhang Sanfeng. Thank you for saving my life. What you have a wish despite say out, I try to help you realize, Shi Song only in the mouth of the townspeople heard the name of the immortal Zhang Sanfeng, see the real person standing in front of the eyes, scared to turn around and flee. Where still hear these words behind. Villagers later asked Shi Song, Zhang Sanfeng finally went where. Shi Song can no longer say clearly.

Some people saw the immortal Zhang Sanfeng in Qinzhou. Also saved the life of Zhang Sanfeng this strange thing. Soon spread to the capital Zhu Zai Feng more firmly believe that, in order to thank the kindness of a bowl of porridge, the cloud traveler Zhang Sanfeng will also surely appear again in Qingzhou, so he ordered the construction of a Taoist temple to commemorate this incident, in order to show their piety. Zhu Zai Feng also specially ordered the craftsmen to cast a world-unrivaled giant crane to be enshrined in the Taoist temple. Why make an iron crane to attract Zhang Sanfeng? Directly according to the legend. In accordance with the appearance of Zhang Sanfeng, casting a statue of him, is not more direct? This is because there is such a folk legend. Zhang Sanfeng's mother had a dream on the night of her delivery. In the dream an immortal crane flew from the East China Sea. It landed on the roof of her house. After waking up from the dream, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her abdomen. A meal was successfully given birth to Zhang Sanfeng. It was at this time that the sound of an immortal crane chirping came from outside the window. There was really a crane resting on the roof. Since then, it was rumored among neighbors that Zhang Sanfeng was the child sent by the crane.

What's more, when the villager Shisong saw Zhang Sanfeng, there was also an immortal crane accompanying him all the time. So Zhu Zai Feng in order to one day be able to attract Zhang San Feng and teach him the art of immortality. And decided to cast iron cranes in the Taoist temple Zhu Zai Feng in order to get immortality. This move is not a commonplace, meticulous and attentive. But in the Ming Dynasty period to complete such a huge iron immortal crane. Let him stand firmly in place is quite difficult, in order to cast giant iron crane. Zhu Zai Feng found the famous Qingzhou gold fire smith Wang Shangzhi uncle and nephew five people. And the family gave a death order, if the casting process a little error, failed to complete on schedule, all together asked for heavy punishment.

This can be worried about the bad Wang Shangzhi, he has never cast such a huge size of the iron products. The use of bronze casting method has not been able to succeed, the traditional production process is to first create a mold using clay to make the shape. That is, the mold then. Molds filled with iron casting. After cooling and then break the mold, leaving the solid iron. But the iron crane is too huge. Temperature is difficult to control, always can not let the iron crane complete shape. So the first few castings ended in failure. The news reached King Heng's ears. Caused Zhu Zai Feng furious voice reprimanded: Iron Crane must be completed within the deadline. Otherwise, we have to pursue the responsibility of all the craftsmen, be careful of the head is not guaranteed.

Wang Shangzhi trembling back home sleepless night, bitter meditation but also always think of ways to solve. Is it casting iron crane, really is an impossible task? In the daybreak, Wang Shangzhi suddenly saw the room slipped in a few bold mice, along the table legs climbed up to the lampstand. Want to steal lamp oil to eat, but the lampstand column is too small, all the rats on the lampstand, the lampstand will certainly fall down. The clever mice use the method of stacking. One lifted one, so that the top mouse, with the tail dipped out of the lamp oil to eat. Seeing this scene Wang Shangzhi slapped his thigh. Shouted there.

It turned out that he was inspired by these rats that stole the lamp oil. The problem is solved by the method of segmented casting. And then use the hot iron to glue the five sections together to finally make a complete iron crane. Iron crane finally casting success.

But at that time, Zhu Zai Feng only let the craftsmen to do one, we see today is a pair. Iron crane this second is also cast by order of King Heng? Check the historical data, this pair of fluttering iron crane. Cast in Wanli 12 years and Wanli 15 years. There is a difference of three years, what happened in these three years?

Perhaps it is the trick of fate, the King of Heng Zhu Zai Feng has not waited for the iron crane to find Zhang Sanfeng, to teach him the immortal art of immortality. In the second year of Iron Crane's writing, he got sick and died. He passed away. Things have come to this point, this absurdity of seeking immortality, the curtain should fall. Who knows those who believe in the art of immortality of the consorts, but the heart is not willing. Three years after the death of King Heng. That is, in 1587 A.D. and ordered Wang Shangzhi. Built an identical iron crane. To continue to search for Zhang Sanfeng to seek immortality. Thus, the iron cranes became a pair. What is even more peculiar is that this time, the concubines casted a Gui Tuo (屃) under the feet of each side. Around the back of the Gui Xi is decorated with eight trigrams. In ancient Chinese mythology, Bi Xi is the son of a dragon and its appearance is similar to that of a tortoise. In most of the sculptures and castings, Bi Xi is used to carry a stone tablet, however, in this case, he is holding a crane. The main purpose of this is to take the expression of the longevity of the tortoise and the life span of the tortoise and crane. Therefore, Gui Tuo and Xian Crane, two auspicious objects that represent longevity in the minds of the people, are combined together. In order to pray for the turtle and crane's good fortune and longevity.

Taking a closer look at this pair of beautifully styled Gui Tuo, they are prostrate at the feet of the Iron Crane is the head of the bearings and the Deep Sea Shuttle. It seems that they want to poke their heads out to look at the outside world, but they are afraid of being caught by the crane standing on their backs. The appearance of the crane is very interesting and vivid. The crane standing on top of Gui Tuo's body has its head held high and its neck bent. The crane is looking at the back of the Gui Tuo with its head held high and its neck curled. It is looking at the back of the Gui Tuo with its head held high and its neck curled. This pair of cast iron crane sculptures on the tortoise. This pair of cast iron crane sculptures reflects the excellent skills of the ancient Chinese laborers and their rich aesthetic imagination. And rich aesthetic imagination. Is a rare national treasure of iron art.

Now this pair of iron cranes still stand in Shandong Qingzhou. After more than 400 years of wind and rain is still well-preserved, perhaps only they can really live forever.

In the 33rd year of Guangxu, Zhang Cheng Xie and Fa Weitang revised the "Yidu County Atlas", Volume XIII, on the camping record: