Ironwork is a large-scale traditional folk firework. It is a performance technique discovered by ancient Chinese craftsmen during the process of casting utensils. It began in the Northern Song dynasty and flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasties. It has a history of more than a thousand years. Iron flower is mostly spread in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River,and is most popular in Henan and Shanxi. Kaifeng Iron Flower is even known as one of the top ten folk arts in the Yellow River Basin.[1] When performing iron flower,the performer needs to choose an open venue without flammable materials,and ensure that there is enough safety distance to protect the audience and the surrounding environment. Then,iron block is placed into a high-temperature puddling furnace and heated to about 1600 degrees Celsius to melt the block into molten iron. During this process,the furnace temperature needs to be constantly observed and adjusted to ensure the quality of the molten iron. The craftsmen will wear a full set of protective equipment,including fire-retardant fabric,gloves and goggles. Use an iron spoon or shovel to scoop the high-temperature molten iron and throw it into the air with force. The molten iron splashes in the air and cools rapidly,reacting with oxygen in the air to form countless sparks.[2]
Iron flower performance shot in the "Situ Town" scenic spot in Shanxi,China
The "iron flower" can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period.[3] It is a way for farmers to celebrate the harvest and exorcise evil spirits and pray for blessings. The original purpose of iron flower was to celebrate the harvest. Farmers believed that by making iron flowers,they could drive away evil,bless peace,and usher in a new harvest season. At the beginning of each year,before opening their doors for business,craftsmen would go to the Laojun Temple (老君庙) and the Fire God Temple (火神庙) in the county to offer sacrifices. They prayed to Laojun and the Fire God to bless them with peace,prosperity,and prosperity for the whole year. The "Iron Flower" performance began in the evening. Most of the people who participated in the "Iron Flower" performance were craftsmen from various shops. Before starting the "Iron Flower" performance,they had to kneel down and pray to the gods for peace and avoid burns.[4]
Taoist priests support and participate in the craftsmen's sacrificial activities. Taoist priests either provide a place for ironwork (mostly open space belonging to the temple),or provide money and goods. When craftsmen perform sacrifices and parades,Taoist priests often organize musical instruments such as sheng,Xiao,flute,silk,gongs and drums to cheer up the craftsmen. In normal times,craftsmen cast bells,bowls,incense burners,braziers,etc. for Taoist priests for free.[5] When encountering major Taoist celebrations,Taoist priests will also provide money and gifts,and invite craftsmen to hold "iron flowers" to add luster to Taoism. This has promoted the development of the "iron flowers" activity. Obviously,the original purpose of "iron flowers" is to show the style of the industry,please the masses,and expand its influence,which is equivalent to an advertisement. The second is to seek auspiciousness,using the homophonic pronunciation of "花" and "发" to take the meaning of "making flowers and flowers,the more you fight,the more they bloom",which symbolizes a prosperous career.[6]
Queshan "iron flowers" began in the Northern Song and flourished in the Ming and Qing dynasty's[zh]. Queshan,HubeiWudang Mountain,and BiyangTongshan are ancient Taoist holy places. Making iron flowers was originally a ritual activity for alchemy Taoist priests to pray for blessings,ward off disasters,and exorcise evil spirits to control the house. It is also a folk craftsman of gold,silver,copper,iron,and tin who joins the Taoist priests to worship the common ancestor Taishang Laojun every year during the Spring Festival opening. The ceremony held has the characteristics of the industry of hardware craftsmen.[7]
After the fall of the Northern Song dynasty,the iron flower spread across the country as the Queshan people moved south and north,forming different styles. During the Ming and Qing dynasties,due to the government's promotion and support from all walks of life,Queshan Tiehua reached its peak,and expanded from the original opening ceremony of craftsmen or Taoist sacrificial activities such as the birthdays of the Jade Emperor,Taishang Laojun,and the Queen Mother to ex-voto,promotions,marriage,high school,etc. General festive events such as home building festivals. In the course of its local spread,Queshan Tiehua has continuously absorbed various artistic elements such as setting off firecrackers,setting off fireworks,and playing dragon lanterns,[8] gradually forming a unique performance style that is grand,majestic,festive and auspicious. In the early years of the Republic of China's[zh],Queshan Tiehua was on the verge of extinction due to wars and disasters. After the founding of the People's Republic of China,Queshan Iron Flower was performed only three times in 1952,1956 and 1962. By 1988,after Yang Jianjun's[zh] proposed to the county leaders to hold an event to make iron flowers during the Spring Festival. This suggestion was highly valued and supported by the county leaders,so the Queshan "iron flowers" displayed before the audience.[9]
Regional Variants
Changzhi Iron Flower
Changzhi Iron Flower,also known as "Tie Lihua" (Iron Plow Spark),is a traditional festive performance from the Shangdang region of Shanxi Province. It originated as a ritual to express sympathy for lost souls and to pray for rebirth,with molten iron splashed onto old pagoda trees to symbolize "iron trees blooming." Over time,it evolved into a folk performance seen during festivals such as the Lantern Festival and Shennong Festival. Performers strike molten iron into the air using wooden boards,creating showers of sparks accompanied by figures like “fire umbrellas,”“fire bulls,”and “fire dragons.”[10]
Great Wall Iron Flower
Great Wall Iron Flower is a traditional folk art originating from the area near the Great Wall in Yanqing District,Beijing. It developed from sacrificial rituals practiced by ironworkers and has been passed down through generations,forming different techniques such as "flower striking," "flower pouring," and "flower pounding." Named routines include "Two Dragons Playing with a Pearl," "Fire Tree and Silver Flowers," and "Hand-Held Thunder," which involves performers striking molten iron at approximately 1,600°C with bare hands and no protective equipment. Recognized as a district-level intangible cultural heritage of Yanqing,Great Wall Iron Flower has been performed in several Chinese provinces,including Guangxi,Hunan,Hubei,Zhejiang,and Shanxi. The performance group has grown from around a dozen members to over 40 in recent years.[11]
Customary form
Before the iron flower show,a two-story octagonal shed more than ten feet high is set up in the center of the wide square. The first floor is 4 meters high and the second floor is 1.5 meters high. A pole more than ten feet high was erected in the center,and firecrackers are hung on the pole. A puddling furnace for melting molten iron is set up next to it. The long stick used by the craftsman is an iron spoon as thick as a fist and as long as a ruler.
When performing iron flower,the craftsman is topless,holding the upper part of the iron spoon filled with molten iron in one hand and the rod without molten iron in the other hand,quickly scooping up the high-temperature molten iron and throwing it into the air with force. More than a dozen craftsmen shuttle back and forth to create iron flowers of different shapes and sizes,and the audience can enjoy the spectacular sight of sparks blooming in the night sky. Blooming like flowers and falling like meteor showers. Firecrackers are blasting,shaking the earth. Whenever the iron flower performance is performed,the nearby dragon lantern festival[12] will bring dragon lanterns[8] to add to the fun. When the iron flower slowly descended in the air,it formed a colorful flower,and the dragon lantern[13] shuttled through the iron flower,just like a dragon flying in the flowers. This scene is not only visually impactful,but also full of vitality.[14]
As an ancient folk art,iron flower embodies rich historical and cultural connotations. It not only shows the exquisite skills of ancient Chinese iron smelting technology,but also carries people's yearning and pursuit for a better life.[15]
During the 2021 Spring Festival,the iron flower performance at the Long live Mountain[zh] Scenic Area in Kaifeng was broadcast on CCTV News. The red molten iron shot into the sky,and the spectacular scene made the audience cheer. Iron Flower is a famous traditional folk performance in Kaifeng,an intangible cultural heritage item in Henan,and one of the top ten folk arts in the Yellow River Basin.[16]
↑"八大维度看河南潮变！顶流河南圈粉"逆袭"，这些"家底儿"惊艳了所有人"[Eight dimensions to see the changes in Henan! The top Henan fans "rebound", these "family backgrounds" amazed everyone]. 河南省文化和旅游厅 (in Chinese). 2021-02-20. Archived from the original on 2022-12-15. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
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