Zhanggong Island and the Alchemy Furnace

Zhanggong Island and the Alchemy Furnace

Zhanggong Island is located at the mouth of the Renmen Channel near the right bank, just beneath the Sanmenxia Dam. Legend has it that in ancient times, there was an oarsman surnamed Zhang who witnessed the treacherous waters of the Sanmenxia channel—raging waves and frequent boat capsizes that led to tragic drownings. He built a hut on this island and voluntarily guided passing boats to safety. To commemorate this elderly man, people named the island Zhanggong Island.

On Zhanggong Island, there is a rock shaped like an incense burner, with a concave circular pit on its surface that resembles the opening of a stove used for holding an iron pot. This is the legendary Alchemy Furnace used by immortals in ancient times. It is said that the immortal who practiced alchemy here was Laozi. According to the legend, during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, the farmlands and houses along both banks of the Sanmenxia area were flooded, forcing the local people to flee their homes. One day, Laozi arrived riding a blue ox through the water. Seeing the suffering of the people, he decided to build a bridge here to help them escape across the river. Building such a bridge required the use of immortal magic, which could only be performed after refining an elixir. Thus, he searched the surrounding areas for a suitable place to refine the elixir and eventually chose this hard rock. Whether the Alchemy Furnace actually produced an elixir remains unknown, but it has given rise to many legends, such as Laozi refining the elixir, Laozi building the bridge, Laojun carving the rocks, and divine fire refining the mountain. To this day, a folk rhyme is still passed down: “On the twenty-third day of the first lunar month, Laozi refines the elixir; every household posts a golden ox to ensure peace and safety all year round.”