The use of fire is undoubtedly an important stroke in the history of human civilization. It symbolizes that people move from barbarism to civilization, from cold silence to warmth, and from the unknown to find a sense of security. And in the way the fire is obtained, the wisdom of the people shines even brighter.
Different from the ancient way of relying on friction to make fire, after entering the Bronze Age, the ancient Chinese used copper-tin alloy to cast a round concave mirror called "yang sui", which was used to skillfully gather the sun's rays and ignite the fire. This invention not only shows the initial understanding and application of solar energy by the ancients, but also embodies the wisdom of harmonious coexistence between man and nature, which can be called the ancient "black technology".
Tiger bird pattern Yangsui, early Spring and Autumn period cultural relics, diameter 7.5 cm, 1956 Sanmenxia City, Henan Province Yuguo cemetery M1052 Yuguo Prince tomb unearthed, now in the National Museum of China.
This piece is beautifully cast, with a silvery-white front and a concave arc, and although there are some rust marks, it is still very smooth. There is a high nose button on the back, which can be worn with a strap. Next to the button, there is a pattern of two colorful tigers connected to each other, a two-headed dragon and an ostrich. The tiger's bloody mouth was wide open, and its tail was curled, as if it was letting out a low, powerful roar. The dragon tossed and coiled, wrapped around the tiger's body; The owl opened its eyes angrily, spread its wings and pecked; The picture is cleverly conceived, the shape is vivid, the meaning is profound, and the exquisiteness of the creation is amazing, showing the exquisite skill level of the craftsmen at that time.
Pattern on the back of the sun
When it was first unearthed, archaeologists were puzzled by the purpose of this artifact, so they had to call it a curved shape based on its shape. In the 90s of the 20th century, Xu Yongsheng, an archaeologist in Sanmenxia City, through historical research and physical comparison, believed that this curved vessel was the tool of the ancients to focus on sunlight and fire. So, under his guidance, the Institute of Cultural Research of the Kingdom of Yu made a copy of one as it was, and after polishing, polishing and other technical treatments, it was tried under the sun, and sure enough, in just a few seconds, the cotton wool could be ignited.
Yang Sui fire
In the distant Bronze Age, the Chinese already had "lighters" that could light fire by focusing sunlight, which was not without its advance.
"Zhou Li, Da Si Kou" records: "Yang Sui is taken from the sun, close to the sky, so it is used in divination and sacrifice." "Since the sun is used to light the fire, the ancients believed that it had the mysterious power to communicate with the heavens, and applied it to rituals.
As the funeral object of the prince of the kingdom of Qiu, this impotence that is not enough to hold may be the utensils used by the prince to collect the "heavenly fire" during his lifetime - on the day of the grand sacrifice, the prince holds the yang sui and makes fire according to the sun, offering the most pious respect to the gods of heaven and earth. At this moment, the firelight and the sunshine reflect each other, and in the raging flames, the people of the country are in awe of the nature of heaven and earth, as well as their infinite longing for the future of the country.
Schematic diagram of Yang Sui fire
Expert interpretation
According to Liu Shegang, deputy director of the Yuguo Museum in Sanmenxia City, Henan Province, according to the records of ancient books in the mainland, Yangsui is actually a kind of concave mirror, which is collectively called "Jinsui" because it is made of bronze. Sui, from the fire, then the sound. The original meaning is an ancient fire-making vessel. The fire-making tools named after the flint include yang sui and wooden flint.
"Zhou Li Shu" said: "With the essence of the sun of the sun, take fire from the sun, so the name is Yang Sui, take fire from wood, and it is also a wood fire." "Jade Chapter" contains: "Sui, to make fire in the sun." Therefore, Jin Sui is also known as Sun Sui, Yang Sui, and Fu Sui. "Zhou Li, Qiu Guan, Si Xuan's Clan" contains: "Si Xuan's palm is a husband and a flint, taking the open fire in the sun, in order to identify the bright water in the moon, and the bright light, the candle, and the bright water of the common sacrifice." Jia Gongyan Shu: "The wise one is clean." The sun and moon water and fire are bright water and open fire, which is to take the clean air of the sun and moon yin and yang. This shows that the Western Zhou Dynasty specially set up the "Si Xuan Clan", as the official in charge of Yangsui, responsible for "taking the open fire in the sun". The holy fire taken from the sun's rays is mainly used for sacrificial religious activities as a sign of respect and devotion to the ancestral gods. At the same time, it can also dispel disasters and blessings, and drive away evil.
As a kind of household utensils used by ancient people to use solar energy, Yangsui also established the status of China as the first country to use concave mirrors to focus on fire. It was not until the 13th century that the English philosopher Bacon used metal to grind the first concave mirror in the West, and succeeded in making fire against Japan, more than 2,000 years later than China.
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