Cangzhou Iron Lion 沧州铁狮子

The iron lion is the oldest and largest iron-casting art piece still in existence in China, providing a high valuable material for the study of metallurgy, sculpture, and the history of Buddhism.

Repairs on the country’s biggest iron lion in Cangzhou started late 2001 to prevent it from collapsing. As the two proposals chosen by experts from 18 suggestions were undergoing final feasibility assessment. The team of experts in charge of the feasibility study consists of experts on metal protection, cultural heritage protection, material dynamics and climate from both China and foreign countries, including Japan, Britain and the United States. The cracks in the lion’s legs have already become smaller because experts removed most of the solidifying filler deposited in them in October 2000. They believe that it was the swelling and then erosion of this solidifyingh filler stuck in the lion’s left rear leg, which is an unsolved problem. Without unveiling the detailed repair proposals, the final goal in their restoration effort is to eliminate the lion’s external supports. Built in 953, and listed in 1961 as one of China’s first group of cultural relics under State protection, the 40-ton iron lion, which is 5.78 meters in height, 6.5 meters in length and 3.17 meters in width, began to develop cracks in the past few years. As it was believed that the lion’s legs might collapse at any time, two external steel supporting frames were put in place in 1999.

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