Why did ancient cows save water?

Why use cows as ground anchors? Legend has it that when Dayu harnessed water, every time he harnessed a river, he would throw an iron cow to kill the monster. In ancient times, it was thought that "cows are earth, and earth is better than water", so the saying that "cows can save water" is nothing more than hoping to calm rivers by iron cows.

There are certain historical reasons for using cows to save water in ancient China: firstly, cows are one of the animal gods, and they are giants on land, which can resist floods; Secondly, they served as the fundamental philosophy of ancient times, and people used Jin Mu's fire, water and soil to explain the world; Moreover, the five elements interact to see the rise and fall of everything, combining many animals with the five elements. For example, cattle belong to soil, and soil can make water, so cattle can level water, thus making cattle a level spirit. ③

Although it was believed in ancient times that iron cows could save water, a few people of insight boldly questioned them. For example, in the autumn of 76 1 year, the Chengdu plain was flooded, but the town water god cow did not stop the raging flood, which led to a serious disaster. Du Fu wrote "Stone Rhinoceros" for this reason: "This year's oral injury may be a shame. The final dike is prominent, and the wood and stone are held high in the clear autumn. The practice of the first king is the right way, and there is no need to participate in intrigue. " It is clearly pointed out that relying on Xi Shi (Shi Niu) to save water is unreliable, and only relying on human strength can overcome the flood.