Tea Ling Iron Rhinoceros

Tea Ling Iron Rhinoceros

The Tea Ling Iron Rhinoceros is a cultural relic protection unit of Hunan Province.

Tea Ling Iron Rhinoceros

Dating back to the Song Dynasty, it is located in Chengguan Town, Chaling County, Hunan Province, and holds artistic value due to its exquisite casting.

The iron rhinoceros has a well-proportioned body and lifelike appearance, and has remained rust-free and undecayed for over 700 years, fully reflecting the advanced metalworking techniques of ancient people. It was cast during the Shaoding era of the Southern Song Dynasty (1228–1233). The Tongzhi-era Chaling Prefecture Chronicles states: “The Nanpu Rhinoceros Pavilion is located south of the prefectural city. During the Shaoding era of the Song Dynasty, Magistrate Liu Zimai, due to the river water breaching the southern city wall, cast an iron rhinoceros weighing several thousand jin and placed it on the riverbank to hold it back, building a pavilion on top.” Today, the iron rhinoceros is well preserved. It is two meters long, about 1.5 meters high when lying down, and weighs approximately 7,000 kilograms. It was cast in three pours using hypoeutectic white cast iron. It has a single horn on its head, stands with its head raised while lying down, gazes intently at the Mi River, opens its mouth as if roaring, with visible teeth and tongue. Its body is well-proportioned and lifelike, and even now it remains glossy black all over. In 1944, Japanese invaders during the Sino-Japanese War shelled the rhinoceros, destroying its two ears, and in 1981, thieves gouged out one-third of its left eye. The local community takes great care of the iron rhinoceros. A folk poem says: “The iron ox was born in Chazhou, lost and wandering for thousands of years. Fierce winds blow but its fur doesn’t move; light rain falls but sweat drips. Surrounded by green grass, it can’t open its mouth; golden whips strike but it won’t turn back. No matter how hard the shepherd tries, he can’t lead it away; the heavens and earth are its pen, and it never comes home at night.” The original rhinoceros pavilion had long collapsed, and was rebuilt in 1982.

On October 10, 1983, the People's Government of Hunan Province designated it as a provincial-level cultural relic protection unit, with the number 124-16.