在故宫每座较大的庭院里和后宫东西长街，铸造铜大缸工厂，都可以看到排列得很整齐的大缸。这些大缸都是明清两代皇宫中旧有的殿外陈设物，不仅具有消防使用价值，而且是皇宫 殿庭陈设方面不可缺少的装饰品。在清代，这些大缸由内务府营造司管理。缸内平时贮满清水，用来防火。每年到了农历小雪季节，由太监在缸外套上棉套，铸造铜大缸多少钱，上加缸 盖，下边石座内置炭火，防止冰冻，直到春节后惊蛰时纔撤火。

In every large courtyard of the Forbidden City and the East-West long street of the rear palace, there are large tanks arranged neatly in the foundry factory. These vats are all the old furnishings outside the palace in Ming and Qing Dynasties, which not only have the value of fire fighting, but also are indispensable decorations in the palace furnishings. In the Qing Dynasty, these tanks were managed by the Construction Department of the interior government. The tank is usually filled with clean water for fire prevention. Every year, in the light snow season of the lunar calendar, the eunuch puts a cotton sleeve on the outer sleeve of the cylinder, how much is the cost of casting a large copper cylinder, plus a cylinder head, and a carbon fire is built in the lower stone base to prevent freezing. The fire is not removed until the Spring Festival.

铜大缸定制工厂紫禁城的庭院和街道旁，大小不等的铜缸、铁缸几乎是永恒不变的陈设。故宫原来一共有308 口铜铁质地的大缸，其中鎏金铜缸22 口。这些大缸的作用有多重意义，首先它是储水防火的消防设备。紫禁城建筑大多是以木结构为主，最怕火灾的发生。在高大的宫殿旁边放置贮满水的大缸，用以防备突发的火情。朝廷对这些大铜缸非常重视，每年入冬之后，皇帝还要下旨令人在缸盖上加屉子并苫草帘，下面置放炭火防 止结冰。其次，它在殿宇巍峨的宫殿群中，起到了装饰作用。金光灿烂 的大铜缸，衬托着紫禁城的红墙黄瓦，显得格外富丽堂皇。另外，铜缸 有祈福祛灾的吉祥作用，铜大缸，又称“门海”、“福海”、“吉祥缸”。同时，大 缸也是一个循的“小五行”：金生水、水克火！紫禁城中最豪华的鎏 金铜缸摆置在象征皇权的太和殿东西两侧，据说每次鎏这种规格的大铜 缸要用去3公斤黄金。

In the yard and street of the Forbidden City, copper tanks and iron tanks of different sizes are almost permanent furnishings. The palace museum used to have 308 large jars made of copper and iron, 22 of which were made of gilded copper. The functions of these large tanks have multiple meanings. First, they are fire-fighting equipment for water storage and fire prevention. Most of the buildings in the Forbidden City are made of wood, which is most afraid of fire. Beside the tall palace, a large tank full of water is placed to prevent sudden fire. The imperial court attached great importance to these large copper tanks. Every winter, the emperor also ordered people to add drawers and straw curtains on the cylinder head, and put charcoal fire under them to prevent freezing. Secondly, it plays a decorative role in the lofty palaces. The big copper vat with brilliant gold light is set off by the red walls and yellow tiles of the Forbidden City, which is particularly magnificent. In addition, the copper cylinder has the auspicious function of praying for blessings and eliminating disasters. The large copper cylinder is also known as "Menhai", "Fuhai" and "auspicious cylinder". At the same time, the big tank is also a "small five elements": Gold generates water, water overcomes fire! The most luxurious gilded copper cylinder in the Forbidden City is placed on the East and west sides of the hall of Supreme Harmony, which symbolizes the imperial power. It is said that three kilograms of gold will be used to gild such a large copper cylinder every time.

但是，现在故宫三大殿旁的鎏金铜缸，不但斑驳陆离，而且伤痕累累。这些饱受摧残的幸存者，带着满身的伤痕，向每一位驻足留 连的游客无声地诉说着过去的历史。

However, the gilded bronze jars beside the three main halls of the Forbidden City are not only mottled but also scarred. These battered survivors, with scars on their bodies, tell the history of the past to every tourist who stops.