The Largest Iron Meteorite

The Largest Iron Meteorite

Also known as the Spirit Stone, it is housed in the Lüzu Temple outside the north gate of the old city of Lingshi County. The stone is full of holes, neither quite iron nor quite stone, with a dusky hue and a resonant sound. The part exposed above ground stands 1.6 meters high, has a diameter of 1.5 meters, and a volume of about 2.4 cubic meters, enclosed by a railing. According to the *Lingshi County Annals*, this stone was excavated from a riverbed in the tenth year of the Kaihuang era of the Sui Dynasty (590 AD). At that time, “Emperor Wen visited Taiyuan and had a road dug along the Fen River, where this stone was discovered. Inscribed on the stone were the words ‘Great Way, Ever Auspicious,’ which were taken as an omen of good fortune, leading to the establishment of a county government at the site.” In former times, local villagers regarded it as a sacred stone. During the spring and autumn festivals, they would visit in groups with the elderly and children to burn incense and worship, praying for peace. According to examinations by relevant scholars based on its material and shape, it is a meteorite that fell in ancient times.