Pod is an instrument made of bronze and used to cook in ancient China. Usually it has three or four feet and two ears on each side for people to hold it. A pod is very heavy, which usually has a weight of a few hundredjinand sometimes more than one thousand jin. Because of its feet and ears convenient for people to lift it up and its weight,Tripod Liftingbecame one of the sports to practice muscle and show strength in ancient times.
Wars in ancient China were contests of courage and power. Men of unusual strength were respected. The best way to show that you were powerful was to lift up a pod of more than 1, 000 jin.
It was very popular inthe Han dynastyas a game to show one's physical strength, it was still an important performance ofBaixiat least intheEastern Han.
There were two ways for the ancint people to lift the pod, one of which was to use a single hand and the other two hands.
To use single hand to lift the pod means to lift it up by holding only one of the feet, and by two hands means to hold the two ears of it and turn it over, the feet pointing to the sky, then lift it over the head. As we know, it is a cook instrument and not made for people to do physical training, so it is dangerous and easy to hurt people. Therefore, offerTang and Songdynasties, if had become a history with the appearance of the lifting instruments such as stone discs and stone padlocks.
GLOSSARY·词汇
jin斤 Jīn
Tripod Lifting举鼎 Jǔdǐng
the Han Dynasty 汉朝 Hàncháo
Baixi百戏 Bǎixì
the Eastern Han东汉 Dōnghàn
Tang and Song dynasties唐宋朝 Tángsòngcháo