Iron Flower is a folk traditional activity in Henan and Shanxi regions, and an intangible cultural heritage with cultural characteristics in Chinese folk customs and folk art. Iron Flower contains rich culture such as iron smelting, Taoism, folk craftsmen, and sacrifices. It has historical, aesthetic, and environmental protection values, and can add fun to modern life.

Origin of Customs

"Iron Flower" can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. It originated from the sacrificial activities of craftsmen and was closely related to the iron smelting industry and folk beliefs at that time. At the beginning of each year, before the opening of the Wumen Craftsmen, the leading craftsmen will consult and build a flower shed, and build a god shed to the north of the flower shed, facing south, and select an auspicious day to offer various sacrificial offerings in the Laojun Temple and the Fire God Temple of the county.

Afterwards, all the people in each store and name of Wujiang carried the Laojun statue enshrined in the store, lined up, and played music and set off firecrackers all the way to the god shed. All the shops of the craftsmen along the way will set up incense tables and offer sacrifices to welcome and send off the procession. After the team arrives at the shed, the statue of Laojun will be placed inside the shed, and a sacrificial ceremony will be held to pray to Laojun and the God of Fire for peace throughout the year, prosperity in business, and prosperity in all seasons.

The flower-making begins at night. Most of the people who participate in the flower-making are craftsmen from various stores. Before making flowers, they must kneel and change clothes in the shed to pray for safety and avoid burns.

Customs and forms

Before the iron flower-making performance, a two-story octagonal shed about ten feet high will be set up in the middle of a wide square. The first layer is 4 meters high and the second layer is 1.5 meters high, which is called the "flower shed". A layer of fresh willow branches is laid on the top of the flower shed, and all kinds of fireworks, firecrackers, and fire starters are tied to the branches. A pole about ten feet high is erected in the middle of the top of the flower shed, which is called the "old pole".

Long hanging firecrackers and large fireworks are also tied to the top of the old pole, which is called "setting up colors". This flower shed symbolizes the meaning that one yuan gives birth to two yi, two yi give birth to four images, four images give birth to eight trigrams, eight trigrams give birth to five elements, and five elements give birth to all things.

Next to the flower shed stands a furnace for melting iron liquid, and a large bellows (now a blower) is used to melt the pig iron prepared in advance into iron liquid for use. The flower stick used by the iron flower maker is a fresh willow stick that is as thick as a fist and more than a foot long. There is a circular groove with a diameter of 3 cm at the top of the stick to hold the iron liquid. When making iron flowers, the flower maker wears an inverted gourd ladle on his head (for protection), with his upper body naked, holding the upper stick with iron liquid in one hand and the lower stick without iron liquid in the other hand, and quickly runs to the bottom of the flower shed and hits the upper stick with the lower stick. A dozen flower makers take turns to go between the furnace and the flower shed.

One stick of iron flowers rises to the sky, and another stick follows, and the sticks are connected in an endless stream. The iron juice in the rod rushed to the flower shed, and burst out after hitting the willow branches on the roof, igniting the firecrackers and fireworks on the flower shed. The iron flowers flew, the meteors were like waterfalls, and the firecrackers rang out, shaking the sky. The skilled flower beaters can hit the old pole with one stick, igniting the fireworks and long whips at the highest point, which is called "winning the lottery". The winners should report their units and names, wear red and hang flowers, and be rewarded with money and goods, which is very glorious. Whenever iron flowers are made, the nearby dragon lantern associations will organize dragon lanterns to come to help, and shuttle under the flower shed where iron flowers are flying, which is called "dragons passing through flowers".

"Dragon passing through flowers" is the best occasion to show the lineup, will, and skills of each dragon lantern team. The dragon lantern team that wears the best "passing through flowers" will be praised and admired by peers and audiences, and will also be rewarded by the organizers of iron flowers.

Organizing area

In ancient times, not only large workshops and big-name craftsmen organized "Queshan Iron Flower" activities, but also small furnace makers and blacksmith shops in village markets would hold small "iron flower" activities. They generally did not build flower sheds or hold sacrificial activities, but just chose a not-too-tall willow or jujube tree, tied firecrackers and fire starters to the tree, melted the scrap iron donated by the masses into iron juice, and hit the tree with a wooden board or a wooden shovel.

• Jincheng Iron Flower
• Great Wall Iron Flower
• Ningxia Iron Flower
• Changzhi Iron Flower
• Tai'an Iron Flower
• Jingtai Iron Flower
• Iron Flower Performance

Inheritance Value

The art of making iron flowers has a long history, and the performance is magnificent and grand. The flower-making artists can move freely in the iron flowers of more than a thousand degrees without being burned. The dazzling modern fireworks and the mysterious and thrilling traditional skills are intertwined, which is amazing. Iron flower contains Taoist culture, business customs, folk crafts and other contents, enriching the folk art treasure house of the Chinese nation, and playing an important role in invigorating the cultural life of the people, enhancing national pride and strengthening national cohesion.

Symbolic value

The "iron flower" of Queshan blooms in the dark night with dazzling golden iron water like fireworks. In terms of the meaning, the "iron flower" of Queshan takes the beautiful meaning of "iron flower, iron flower, you will definitely get rich" and "beat flowers, beat flowers, the more you beat, the more you will get rich", which expresses people's wishes to pray for blessings and ward off disasters and pray for wealth. Through "iron flower", people pray for good weather, good harvest, peace and prosperity in the coming year. [28] It is said that "iron flower" can drive away ghosts and evil spirits, and people who come to watch "iron flower" can also get rid of evil spirits.

Artistic value

The color of "iron flower" is golden yellow, and the shape is like fireworks, which gives people a strong visual feast. At present, "iron flower" is known by more and more people, and people appreciate and praise its artistic value.

Environmental value

The molten iron used in "iron flower" is different from gunpowder. It will not cause air pollution to nature and has the same effect of fireworks.

Commercial value

Queshan "iron flower" can drive the development of local tourism and create commercial value.