很多去过故宫的朋友们应该都知道，故宫里的一些大殿前、庭院中都摆放着一个个大金属缸。这些大缸腹宽口收、容量极大，而且装饰精美，两耳处还加挂着兽面铜环，这些大缸是做什么用的呢？

Many friends who have been to the palace museum should know that there are big metal tanks in front of and in the courtyard of the Palace Museum. These VATS have wide belly, large capacity and exquisite decoration. They are also hung with copper rings on animal's face on their ears. What is the purpose of these VATS?

原来这就是当时故宫里的一种防火设施。很早以前，人们就想出了在门前放置大缸以便及时救火的办法。只要时常将水注满，发生火情时就可以随时就近取水灭火，所以大缸又被称做“吉祥缸”或者“太平缸”。

It turned out that this was a fire prevention facility in the Imperial Palace at that time. A long time ago, people came up with a way to put large tanks in front of the door in order to put out the fire in time. As long as the water is filled up frequently, the fire can be put out at any time by taking water nearby, so the big tank is also called "auspicious tank" or "Taiping tank".

这些陈列在紫禁城内的“吉祥缸”很是引人注意，大缸主要分为有铜缸和铁缸两种，按照材质可以分为“镀金海”铜缸、青铜缸和铁缸三类。皇宫内各处陈设“吉祥缸”的数量以及缸的质地、大小是随着环境而定的。如太和殿、保和殿及乾清门周围陈设的均是“镀金海”铜缸，而后宫及东西长街上所陈设的就是比较小的青铜缸或者铁缸了。宫中设置大量铜缸的最初意图是用来防火的，但其实际存在的价值绝不仅仅局限于消防，同时它还是宫内大殿、庭院中不可或缺的陈列品。

These "auspicious tanks" displayed in the Forbidden City are very attractive. The large tanks are mainly divided into two types: Copper tanks and iron tanks. According to the material, they can be divided into three types: "gold plated sea" copper tanks, bronze tanks and iron tanks. The number of auspicious jars, the texture and size of the jars are determined by the environment. For example, all around the Taihe hall, Baohe hall and Qianqing gate are "gilded sea" copper tanks, while those in the rear palace and the east-west street are relatively small bronze tanks or iron tanks. The original intention of setting up a large number of copper tanks in the palace is to prevent fire, but its actual value is not only limited to fire fighting, but also an indispensable display in the palace hall and courtyard.

制作铜缸的工艺是非常复杂的，就拿鎏金铜缸来讲，其方法是首先在金属器物表面涂上金和水银的合金，然后进行烘烤，使水银蒸发，将黄金滞留下来，目前故宫中尚存18口鎏金铜缸，虽说已经遭到了部分的破坏，但个个仍然金光灿烂，光彩夺目，华美无比。

The process of making copper jars is very complicated. In terms of gilded copper jars, the method is to first coat gold and mercury alloy on the surface of metal utensils, and then bake them to evaporate the mercury, leaving the gold behind. At present, there are 18 gilded copper jars in the Palace Museum. Although they have been partially damaged, they are still golden, dazzling and gorgeous.

虽然在古代铜缸是用来盛水的，但是现代铜缸作为风水用品却深受大家的喜欢。在庭院门口两边放上两口铜雕大缸，显得高贵大方，俗话说水是财，用铜缸盛水，就是把财聚在一起，大概这就是铜缸深受人们喜爱的原因了吧。

Although in ancient times, the copper cylinder was used to hold water, but the modern copper cylinder as a geomantic product is very popular. There are two bronze carving VATS on both sides of the gate of the courtyard, which are noble and generous. As the saying goes, water is wealth. To hold water in bronze VATS is to gather wealth together. Maybe that's why bronze vats are very popular with people.

河北唐县汇丰铜雕工艺品厂集科研、开发设计、普通铸造、一次性整体浇铸、精密铸造于一体。本厂技术力量雄厚，设备先进，不但重视中国青铜器原有的艺术风格，还继承了文物原有的艺术品味，在继承和发扬古老文化的同时，更深一步为新老客户量身定制各种铜制、铁制工艺品等产品。

Hebei Tangxian HSBC copper carving handicraft factory integrates scientific research, development and design, common casting, one-off integral casting and precision casting. Our factory has strong technical force and advanced equipment. We not only attach importance to the original artistic style of Chinese bronzes, but also inherit the original artistic taste of cultural relics. While inheriting and carrying forward the ancient culture, we will further customize various copper and iron handicrafts for new and old customers.