Big Millstone

Big Millstone

The Big Millstone is a cultural relic protected at the provincial level in Shandong Province.

Located to the east of Dianji Village, Datianji Town, Chengwu County, the Big Millstone remained well-preserved during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty. Today, only the millstone trough and one millstone wheel remain. The trough is made up of nine curved stone slabs of varying lengths, all grooved and in alternating blue and red hues, with widths of around 80 centimeters, forming a circular shape. It has a diameter of 8 meters and a circumference of 25 meters. There were originally two millstone wheels of different sizes, both shaped like iron discs. The one currently placed in the center of the millstone ring has a diameter of 1.7 meters (the one buried underground has a diameter of 1 meter). Both the trough and the wheels show clear signs of use. About 1 li (approximately 500 meters) to the east of the Big Millstone lies Dajing Village, which contains a large well. According to the *Shi Family Genealogy*, this well was also preserved from the military encampment of Shi Hongzhao. Originally, the well had a very large opening, but after multiple renovations, its current diameter is still 3 meters. The Chengwu Big Millstone and its associated relics have a long history. They served as production and daily-use tools for the military garrison of Shi Hongzhao during the Later Han Dynasty of the Five Dynasties period, making them a rare physical testament to ancient military settlements in China. At the same time, they represent a valuable tourism resource. Their unique architectural form adds a distinctive landscape to tourism in southwestern Shandong, and they hold significant value and meaning for the study of ancient Chinese military settlement systems and military life. In May 1998, it was designated as a county-level cultural relic protection unit by the People’s Government of Chengwu County. In October 2013, it was listed as part of the fourth group of provincial-level cultural relic protection units by the People’s Government of Shandong Province.

Source: Heze Municipal Office of Local Chronicles