The Iron Lion of Cangzhou is a cast iron sculpture located in the town of Cangzhou in Hebei Province, China, about 180 km (110 mi) southwest of the national capital Beijing. Cast in 953 AD, the iron lion is the largest known and oldest surviving iron-cast artwork in China.
The sculpture, which is also known as the "Sea Guard Howler", is 5.78 m (19 ft) high, 6.5 m (21 ft 4 in) long, 3.17 m (10 ft 5 in) wide, and has an estimated weight of 40 tonnes (44 tons). On its back, it carries a basin-shaped lotus throne with a maximum diameter of about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) and a height of 70 cm (28 in). Presumably, the iron lion was originally displayed inside a Buddhist temple and carried a bronze statue of the bodhisattva Manjusri on the lotus seat. The bronze statue was later removed, maybe because of the higher value of the bronze.