Cast in 1446 during the Zhengtong reign of the Ming Dynasty, Kaifeng's River-Taming Iron Rhinoceros was commissioned by the provincial governor Yu Qian. Standing over two meters tall, it bears the inscription 'To guard the dikes and keep the waves forever at peace,' reflecting the ancient belief in using the rhinoceros to tame the river's power. Located by the old course of the Yellow River, the Iron Rhinoceros has withstood floods and war, remaining the largest and best-preserved ancient water-control sculpture in the basin.
