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Myth of the blacksmith and dragon
By Tao Jiming and Dai Yiyun |
October 26, 2009, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
HUILONGTAN, which in Chinese means the pond where dragons once gathered, has mythical origins.
In ancient times, there was an old blacksmith living with his daughter in Jiading, which was a small town at that time.
One day, an old man with a long white beard visited the blacksmith and asked him to make an iron hook. When asked what it was used for, the old man said in short "to pick my nose." He paid the money but never came back for the hook.
One stormy night, a clap of thunder was so loud that the vibrations forced open the blacksmith's door.
After the commotion, the blacksmith saw an old silver dragon leaning in the door way, breathing heavily.
He remembered the old man, so he grabbed the hook, probed strongly inside the old dragon's nose and dug out a 1-meter-long centipede.
The blacksmith quickly threw it into the furnace and the centipede was burned to death. It was the fight between the old dragon and the centipede that had brought the thunder storm. The centipede wanted to kill the dragon so the dragon had to land on Earth to get help from the blacksmith.
When saved, the dragon showed its gratitude to the blacksmith. It swung its tail with joy and five waterways immediately appeared and merged into a pond.
Later, the old dragon came again and brought about springs as pure as fresh water and as sweet as wine. Elderly patients in the town all came to the fountain to get a spoonful, and surprisingly enough, their illnesses were cured.
The news quickly passed around and hundreds of people from near and far heard the news and came to the fountain.
Stone in the tree
On the east bank of the pond in Huilongtan Park, there is a large quadrate stone wrapped in the roots of a tree trunk.
During the Xianfeng years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a warrior from Baoshan District named Jin Dianbang joined the Small Swords Society and later surrendered to the Qing Dynasty court, thus ensuring he would never be put to death. So he remained loyal to the Qing court and helped them attack the rebels.
When the Qing army broke through the gate of Jiading, the Small Swords Society was under attack. Huilong Pond became a killing field and Jin was captured and ready to be beheaded with other rebel army soldiers from the Small Sword Society.
Jin was bound to a stone near a tree and desperately screamed out that the Qing army should keep its promise.
He lifted his foot and kicked the stone. The head soldier thought Jin was very fierce and therefore useful, so he stepped in to stop him being killed and as a consequence Jin became even more loyal to the Qing Dynasty court.
Year after year, with the growth of the tree, the stone is wrapped further inside the tree trunk, becoming a strange sight.
In ancient times, there was an old blacksmith living with his daughter in Jiading, which was a small town at that time.
One day, an old man with a long white beard visited the blacksmith and asked him to make an iron hook. When asked what it was used for, the old man said in short "to pick my nose." He paid the money but never came back for the hook.
One stormy night, a clap of thunder was so loud that the vibrations forced open the blacksmith's door.
After the commotion, the blacksmith saw an old silver dragon leaning in the door way, breathing heavily.
He remembered the old man, so he grabbed the hook, probed strongly inside the old dragon's nose and dug out a 1-meter-long centipede.
The blacksmith quickly threw it into the furnace and the centipede was burned to death. It was the fight between the old dragon and the centipede that had brought the thunder storm. The centipede wanted to kill the dragon so the dragon had to land on Earth to get help from the blacksmith.
When saved, the dragon showed its gratitude to the blacksmith. It swung its tail with joy and five waterways immediately appeared and merged into a pond.
Later, the old dragon came again and brought about springs as pure as fresh water and as sweet as wine. Elderly patients in the town all came to the fountain to get a spoonful, and surprisingly enough, their illnesses were cured.
The news quickly passed around and hundreds of people from near and far heard the news and came to the fountain.
Stone in the tree
On the east bank of the pond in Huilongtan Park, there is a large quadrate stone wrapped in the roots of a tree trunk.
During the Xianfeng years of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a warrior from Baoshan District named Jin Dianbang joined the Small Swords Society and later surrendered to the Qing Dynasty court, thus ensuring he would never be put to death. So he remained loyal to the Qing court and helped them attack the rebels.
When the Qing army broke through the gate of Jiading, the Small Swords Society was under attack. Huilong Pond became a killing field and Jin was captured and ready to be beheaded with other rebel army soldiers from the Small Sword Society.
Jin was bound to a stone near a tree and desperately screamed out that the Qing army should keep its promise.
He lifted his foot and kicked the stone. The head soldier thought Jin was very fierce and therefore useful, so he stepped in to stop him being killed and as a consequence Jin became even more loyal to the Qing Dynasty court.
Year after year, with the growth of the tree, the stone is wrapped further inside the tree trunk, becoming a strange sight.
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