Before reading this article, I sincerely invite you to click the "Follow" button, so that you can push new articles for the first time in the future, and at the same time, it is also convenient for you to discuss and share, your support is the driving force for me to insist on creating~
Text: Yanyan
Edited by Yeon-yeon
Preface
An archaeological discovery in the Ming Dynasty aroused great interest: a seemingly ordinary iron pot was named "Zhuge Marching Pot".
The appearance is unremarkable, but it shocks the world with a peculiar function. When water is poured into it, it changes incredibly.
What kind of mystery is hidden behind this pot? Why is it associated with Zhuge Liang's eternal name?
1. Zhuge Liang: An unknown inventor
In the turbulent times of the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang was famous for his outstanding military talent and political wisdom. What is less well known, however, is that this strategizing military wizard was also a creative inventor.
In 223 AD, Zhuge Liang led an army on a northern expedition and came to Hanzhong. Faced with the dangerous terrain of the Slope Valley, he had an idea and invented a strange means of transportation - wooden oxen and flowing horses. This tool, which can not only walk in the mountains, but also travel in the water, greatly improved the mobility of the Shu army.
However, Zhuge Liang did not stop there. During a tour of the barracks, he heard soldiers complaining that bows and arrows were too short. So, he stayed up all night and designed a new type of bow and crossbow - Zhuge Repeater.
This weapon, which was able to fire multiple arrows in a row, greatly enhanced the combat effectiveness of the Shu army. In addition to this, Zhuge Liang also invented the Kong Ming lantern for remote communication.
The lanterns, which could fly into the sky, not only illuminated the march route, but also served as a signal to convey military information. However, Zhuge Liang's most miraculous invention is the seemingly ordinary but infinite mystery of the marching pot.
2. Magical marching cauldron: a secret weapon that changes the pattern of war
The marching pot invented by Zhuge Liang is just an ordinary iron pot on the surface, but the scientific and technological mysteries contained in it are breathtaking.
The pot is round in shape, about one foot two inches in diameter and four inches deep, and is cast from the finest fine iron. The bottom of the pan is slightly raised, which not only increases stability but also allows the heat to be distributed more evenly.
The most striking thing is the special construction of the bottom of the pot. The bottom of the pot is actually a sealed interlayer, about an inch thick, that is divided into several separate small chambers. Each chamber is filled with special substances, including lime, sulfur, saltpeter, etc. It is these substances that give the marching pot the miraculous ability to self-heat.
To use, simply pour water into the pot and gently shake the pan. This action opens the mechanism in the interlayer of the bottom of the pot, causing the water to come into contact with the chemicals, triggering a chemical reaction.
The heat generated by the reaction is quickly transferred to the inside of the pot, making the water boil in a short time. Even better, this heating process is controllable. The bottom of the pot is equipped with an ingenious valve device that can adjust the speed and intensity of the reaction.
The invention of the marching pot greatly improved the logistical conditions of the Shu Han army. Soldiers no longer need to carry large quantities of fuel, nor do they have to worry about not being able to light a fire in rainy or windy weather.
Whether you're marching on a rugged mountain road or camping in the desert, you can enjoy hot food at any time as long as you have this pot in hand.
3. Guan Yu and the marching pot: a puzzle that is difficult for heroes to solve
The magic of the marching pot lies not only in its self-heating function, but also in its indissoluble bond with another hero of the Three Kingdoms period - Guan Yu. Guan Yu, a fierce general who was respected as a "martial saint" by later generations, was helpless for a while after receiving the marching pot given by Zhuge Liang.
Legend has it that after Guan Yu got this pot, he found that no matter whether he poured water or rice, the pot had no reaction. He even tried to burn it on fire for three days, but it didn't even heat the pot. Just as he was agonizing over this seemingly useless pot, his son Guan Ping came up with a bold idea: try it with Guan Yu's beard.
Guan Yu followed his son's advice, cut off a strand of beard and put it in a pot, and then poured cold water. A miracle happened! The water in the pot immediately boiled, and after a while, a fragrance wafted out, and the rice in the pot was cooked.
This discovery not only unlocked the secret of the marching pot, but also played a key role in the later war. In an encounter with the Wu army, Guan Yu was surrounded by enemy troops. In order to prevent the Wu army from discovering their traces, Guan Yu relied on this magical marching pot to maintain the army's supplies.
Three days later, when Guan Yu led his army to meet the battle, Wu Jun was surprised to find that the soldiers of the Jingzhou army were all in good spirits, and they did not look tired from being hungry for several days. It was this marching cauldron that helped Guan Yu achieve victory in a desperate situation.
Fourth, the adventure of the Ming Dynasty: the secret that has been sealed for thousands of years has reappeared in the sky
Time flies, and in a blink of an eye, it is the Jiajing period of the Ming Dynasty. In Pinggu Village, Qishan County, Shaanxi Province, a farmer named Zhang San was turning over the soil in his field when he accidentally unearthed an iron pot wrapped in soil.
This unremarkable discovery has led to a series of jaw-dropping events. Zhang San excitedly took the pot home, and after pouring cold water, the water boiled automatically.
Then he poured in the raw rice, and in a short time the rice was cooked. This scene made the whole village boil, and people came to see this magical pot, all of them felt incredible, and some even thought that it was a fairy thing.
The news soon reached the ears of the county magistrate. He personally came to inspect and found that the word "Zhuge " was engraved on the lid of the pot, and immediately guessed that this might be a relic of Zhuge Liang during the Three Kingdoms period. The magistrate was very excited, went to the court, and asked the emperor for permission to retain the study.
Emperor Jiajing also took a keen interest in this and ordered that the study be preserved. However, when the iron pot was escorted to the capital, there was a confusing scene: no matter how much water and rice were poured, the pot did not react, as if it had lost its magical effect.
The scholars were puzzled, and finally had to send the "invalid" iron pot back to Pinggu Village, where it was placed in a hut and became a precious antique.
5. The Mystery of the Millennium: The Historical Influence and Modern Enlightenment of the Marching Pot
The marching pot invented by Zhuge Liang not only played an important role in the Three Kingdoms period, but its influence also continued to later generations, leaving a far-reaching mark in many fields such as military, science and technology, and culture.
In the military field, Li Jing, a famous general of the Tang Dynasty, listed the marching pot as a must-have in the army in the "Taibai Yin Jing". Zeng Gongliang, a military strategist in the Song Dynasty, also spoke highly of the marching pot in the "General Essentials of the Martial Classics".
Qi Jiguang, a famous anti-Japanese general in the Ming Dynasty, improved the marching pot according to Zhuge Liang's design to make it more suitable for amphibious use. In the field of science and technology, the invention of the marching pot laid the foundation for the self-heating technology of later generations.
Tang Dynasty scientist Sun Simiao borrowed the principle of self-heating of the marching pot and invented a medicine pot that could be heated automatically. When Guo Shoujing, a scientist in the Yuan Dynasty, designed astronomical instruments, he also borrowed the design concept of the marching pot.
In the field of culture, the marching pot has become a classic image depicting the Three Kingdoms era. The Tang Dynasty poet Li Bai mentioned "Zhuge Repeater and Wuhou Pot" in "Shu Dao Difficulty", and regarded the marching pot and Zhuge Repeater as the landmark equipment of the Shu Han army.
The Ming Dynasty novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" also mentions the use of the marching pot many times, which further strengthens the spread of Zhuge Liang's wisdom image among the people. In modern times, the principle of marching pot has been widely used in the production of various self-heating foods and beverages.
Many of the ready-to-eat rations used in modern armies use self-heating technology similar to a marching pot. This technology not only plays a role in the military field, but is also widely used in civilian fields, such as outdoor sports, emergency rescue, etc.
In contemporary times, the marching pot has become one of the representatives of ancient Chinese scientific and technological wisdom. Many science and technology museums have exhibits of marching pots to show the public the principles and implications of this ancient invention.
Some schools even make a simple version of the marching pot as part of their science experiment lessons, allowing students to experience the wisdom of the ancients firsthand. The story of the marching pot has also become an important material for promoting Chinese culture.
In some international cultural exchange activities, the marching pot is often displayed as a representative of ancient Chinese scientific and technological achievements, and has been widely praised by international friends. This not only enhances cultural exchanges, but also enhances the international influence of Chinese culture.
epilogue
Zhuge Liang's marching pot is not only a military equipment, but also the crystallization of the wisdom of the Chinese nation. It spans thousands of years, from the battlefields of the Three Kingdoms era, to the fields of the Ming Dynasty, to today's science and technology exhibition halls, and has always inspired people's imagination and creativity.
This seemingly simple invention not only changed the shape of warfare, but also inspired countless scientific and technological innovations in later generations.
It tells us that the spark of wisdom may be hidden in the most mundane things, and that as long as we are good at observation and innovation, we can create great inventions that change the world.