Now only the base remains.
The stolen iron lions. (File photo)
Text and photos by reporters Miao Jing and Du Hui
Reflection:
The Jin Dynasty iron lions are gone.
Recently, a netizen tipped off the Li Zi News Studio blog circle, saying that upon visiting a park for historical relics, they discovered that two Jin Dynasty iron lions were missing! When asking residents exercising there, they learned that the iron lions had been stolen. The netizen said that they had inquired with an elder in the park, who said that both lions were lost sometime around the Spring Festival this year. "It's heartbreaking to see such important cultural relics stolen!" Netizen "Lima Dou" hopes that relevant departments can recover the iron lions.
According to reports, these iron lions were cast in the 24th year of the Dading era of the Jin Dynasty (1184), over 800 years ago. They were originally placed in front of a temple in Huolu County (now Lüquan City). In the 1950s, when the park was constructed, the pair of iron lions was relocated there.
Scene:
Only the empty base remains.
On the afternoon of December 30th, the reporter visited the park and asked more than ten citizens who came to exercise and visit about the location of the iron lions. They all said that the iron lions used to be at a memorial pavilion but were stolen at the beginning of this year. "It’s been almost a year now, and we don’t know if they’ve been found yet," one citizen said. He is from Shijiazhuang and often came here as a child to see the iron lions. Now that they have been stolen, he feels very heartbroken.
Following the guidance of the citizens, the reporter arrived at the memorial pavilion. On both sides of the pavilion are two square bases, which were once the resting places of the iron lions. Nowadays, a few remaining bricks can still be seen on the bases. On the south side of the pavilion, there was originally a signpost reading "Hebei Province Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit: Iron Lions." Now, only a square cement column with a cut-off mark remains.
Henan Police:
The theft gang has been apprehended.
According to a report by the Dahe Daily on February 25th, the Pingdingshan police in Henan Province arrested a criminal gang stealing potted plants locally, with all members captured. Members of the gang also confessed to stealing the iron lions from a park in Shijiazhuang. Before committing the crime, they conducted multiple reconnaissance missions. During their first attempt, due to the large weight of the iron lions and the firm installation of the base, they failed. At 2 AM on January 2nd, three suspects along with a driver drove a vehicle equipped with carefully designed tools and broke into the park again, eventually stealing the iron lions. On January 16th, they sent the iron lions via logistics to Guangdong Province, selling them to a businessman in Shiyan, Hubei.
On December 30th, the reporter contacted the public security department of Pingdingshan, Henan Province. They confirmed the related reports by the Dahe Daily and stated that they were unaware of the whereabouts of the iron lions, advising the reporter to inquire with the local public security department in Shijiazhuang.
Shijiazhuang Police:
The iron lions are currently under investigation.
On December 30th, a staff member of the park told the reporter that the pair of iron lions was indeed stolen, and the thieves had been apprehended, but the iron lions have not yet been recovered. After the incident, the park increased its patrol efforts. The reporter noticed that patrol vehicles frequently passed through the park, and the surveillance video footage of various areas within the park could be seen in the office area.
The Hebei Provincial Cultural Relics Bureau also confirmed the news that the iron lions were stolen at the beginning of this year and stated that the public security department is coordinating efforts to recover the iron lions. Relevant personnel from the Shijiazhuang Public Security Bureau expressed that they have been continuously investigating the whereabouts of the iron lions.