Crocodile ferry autumn wind

At middle north bank outside Chaozhou, there is a ancient ferry called crocodile ferry. This segment river surface is wide; ceiba along riverbank is tall and straight, in autumn in former days, ferry come and go at two banks, can one side wind sail three velamens, a beautiful sight “light boat gently with blow wind, sail to west and sail to east” autumn wind send sail it is said after HanYu reach Chaozhou, deeply know the sufferings of civilian: “there are crocodile in brook eat products of civilian, civilian is poor.” After observe in body, write a 《offer sacrifice to crocodile article》, and ask his underling Qing Ji kill a pig and a sheep to middle bank where crocodile often appear, burn candle and read sacrifice article, ask crocodile go back to sea within time limit. At that time, Chaozhou people pour out, huge crowd of people and silent, only hear Han Yu declare strictly; “Crocodile! Crocodile! Han Yu act as feudal provincial governor here, purpose is to protect people, but you bane civilian here. Now consider you are ignorance, not punish you, command you bring kin out of sea within three days, not go within three days and go within five days, fives days not go and go within seven days, if not go within seven days, will strictly punish.” After reading burn the article and put in river together with pig and sheep. Offer sacrifice to crocodile, it is said that night sudden fall rainstorm, thunder and fulminate. Several days’ later, brook water ebb, crocodile have no choice but move to sea. After Song dynasty, Chao people esteem HanYu, so list “Crocodile ferry autumn wind” as one of the Chaozhou eight great sights.

Now build sacrifice crocodile kiosk on ferry bank, whole kiosk built of granite, double layer and four poles, civility and elegant. Inside set sacrifice crocodile platform, inscribe, “Crocodile ferry autumn wind” “sacrifice crocodile platform” plaque. One couplet writes: “Buddha bone drop in sea and add weight; crocodile go to sea so river is clear”. Other pole couplet is: “how evil is the brook stone; country is lucky that has Han.” In the kiosk there is a lifelike stone crocodile, carry a big stele on back, face carved 《offer sacrifice to crocodile article》, back carved (crocodile ferry kiosk and stele record).

On history after HanYu offer sacrifice to crocodile, within a period there are no crocodile in Han River. However, crocodile of Chaozhou is not really disappear, later come again to bane civilian. In the year 999 Chen Raozuo demoted as Chaozhou official, crocodile appear again in evil brook, in Liuhuang (now Liuhuang, Fengshun) a ten years old child who surname is Zhang, whirl by the crocodile tail and eat up in the middle of brook. His mother cry at the bank, want to save but fail, this pass to Chaozhou, Chen Raozuo hear it his heart can not calm, so he send people hurry to kill it. At that time some people advise him also write a sacrifice article like HanYu, kill pig and sheep and offer sacrifice to avoid the crocodile eat people. Chen Raozuo say, I not saintlike as HanYu, can not influence crocodile, my literature culture also not profound like Han Yu, can not write this good article, in no case can sacrifice away crocodile, I only have a method, that is catch the crocodile and kill it.

Finally, under the directions of a experienced fisher, hundred warrior make a cord with horsetail hair, and weave into net to catch crocodile. Chen Raozuo order people carry the crocodile to the market, and write a 《kill crocodile article》, after declaring facts about crocodile and kill it in public. Chen Raozuo kill crocodile although it is not so famous as Han Yu sacrifice crocodile, he is the people that really dispose of crocodile, Chao people not forget him, set “third maharaja temple” to sacrifice Chen Raozuo, call him as spirit-protect maharaja.