【Learning from History】The Cangzhou Iron Lions, which have stood for a thousand years yet were damaged due to improper protection by experts
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The Iron Lion in Cangzhou City, Hebei Province, has been designated as a **first-class cultural relic under protection.** In addition, it is also known as the “Sea-Stabilizing Roar,” which shows that this iron lion plays a significant role in providing protection. The Iron Lion has a long history; although it weighs around 32 tons, it was built in 953, meaning it is over 1,000 years old. The Iron Lion, founded in 953, has two different origins. The first theory is that Emperor Shizong of the Later Zhou Dynasty built the 32-ton iron lion in order to pacify the city of Cangzhou. The second theory is that this iron lion was the mount of Manjushri Bodhisattva. The Iron Lion has witnessed the glorious yet humiliating modern history of our country, and it also serves as a tourist attraction. Tourists often travel great distances to see the Iron Lion; they do not touch it, even though it is over 1,000 years old. Yet, due to the negligence of experts, the Iron Lion has suffered damage of varying degrees. This stone lion has been ruined by those \"experts,\" left in a state that is unrecognizable.
Before the 19th century, the Iron Lion in Cangzhou stood on muddy ground; it was knocked down by a strong wind in the eighth year of the Jiaqing reign (1803). In the 19th year of the Guangxu reign (1893), it took a great deal of effort to get it back on its feet; by that time, its jaw, abdomen, and tail were already damaged. Unfortunately, during the heavy rains in the early 1950s, after staying submerged in water for a long time, the lion’s legs were damaged. Once the experts discovered it, they wanted to protect it; in 1956, on the advice of Soviet experts, an octagonal pavilion was built for it.
To everyone’s surprise, this actually exacerbated the rusting of the lions, as the octagonal pavilion covered them tightly. The problem is that the lion’s habitat is located in a low-lying area, where water cannot evaporate or disperse quickly; the Octagonal Pavilion creates a microclimate that is humid and hot as a result. In such an environment, how can corrosion not be exacerbated? By 1975, experts suddenly realized the situation and hurriedly demolished the octagonal pavilion.
In 1984, a 2-meter-high water-resistant base was constructed, lifted simultaneously by two 30-ton cranes, and the extent of damage was assessed during the lifting process. There are about 42, with the largest being on the abdomen, featuring a hole of 7 square meters. This isn’t that serious either; what’s unexpected is that sulfur anchoring compound was used during lifting to prevent compression of the legs. The sulfur anchoring agent was not removed in time; upon cooling and solidifying, it expanded in volume, accelerating the fracture of the leg.
However, since the size and weight of the iron lion were too great for humans to handle, they decided to use lifting equipment to raise it onto the platform. During the lifting process, the sulfur adhesive poured in to prevent the lion’s legs from being compressed was not removed in time; as a result, the adhesive solidified due to thermal expansion and contraction, causing even more severe damage to the lion’s legs. Later, in 1994, the iron lion was on the verge of collapsing. After discussions among experts, it was decided to construct a framework made of iron pipes around it in order to stabilize it. To secure the four legs of the iron lion, maintenance staff chose some composite materials with a lower expansion coefficient than sulfur; however, they did not expect these materials to expand when exposed to rain, which caused the cracks in the legs to worsen again.