Linqiong (now Qionglai) in Sichuan Province was the first to develop natural gas in the world. Available data show that its history of natural gas development can be traced back to the Qin and Han Dynasties more than 2000 years ago. “The earliest natural gas development was in Qionglai, Sichuan, which makes people proud. However, there are also exciting…” yesterday, Professor liuxingshi of Chengdu University of Technology said that he inferred from the records in the annals of Huayang that Zhugeliang was not only a militarist, politician, strategist, inventor, but also a natural gas expert.
Discovery: Zhugeliang came to Linqiong fire well in person
“When it comes to Qionglai’s natural gas, I have to mention a celebrity – Zhugeliang, who can actually be regarded as a natural gas expert.” Yesterday, Professor liuxingshi put forward his latest discovery. “In the annals of the state of Huayang, there is a record of Qionglai fire well, ‘hold its light in a bamboo tube and hide it, which can be dragged all day long’. Moreover, most importantly, there is a record of Zhugeliang guiding the work of Qionglai fire well. He is a natural gas expert!” Liu Xingshi turned out the annals of Huayang, pointed to a line of words and read, “the fire turned prosperous after Zhugeliang looked at the fire well in Linqiong.”.
He said: “the existing archaeological evidence shows that the fire well in Qionglai began in the Qin and Han Dynasties. By the Three Kingdoms period, the natural gas production in Qionglai had gradually declined. In this case, Zhugeliang, who was responsible for guarding Chengdu at that time, went to Qionglai to inspect the fire well and used a method to make the natural gas flourish again.”
Supporting evidence: bamboo is used to make “gas transmission pipeline”
What method did Zhugeliang use? Why did natural gas production “turn prosperous” after his inspection? Liu Xingshi provided the answer: “the preface to the ancient fire well monument of the Han Dynasty in Qionglai is very detailed.”
Liu Xingshi read a passage in the preface to the ancient fire well stele of the Han Dynasty: “the prime minister Zhuge bowed to inspect, improved his techniques, used bamboos to guide gas, drew well fire to boil salt, set up dozens of pots and stoves, and made more profits.” After reading it, Liu Xingshi explained, “it is clear from the above that Zhugeliang used local bamboo to make a natural gas transmission pipeline, and then formed large-scale production, making natural gas prosperous, which has brought great economic benefits. This strongly proves that he has natural gas professional skills.”
Liu Xingshi concluded firmly, “from this point of view, Zhugeliang knows the production knowledge of natural gas. He taught local people to use bamboo as natural gas pipelines, which is also in line with his identity as an ‘inventor’. Therefore, it is not surprising to say that Zhugeliang is a natural gas expert.”