the city has historically been known in china for its "wushu" (chinese martial arts) and acrobatics (specifically, the "wu qiao" school). cangzhou is also famed for its historic thousand-year-old 40-ton sculpture, the iron lion of cangzhou. the sculpture is reportedly the largest cast-iron sculpture in the world, cast in 953 in the five dynasties and ten kingdoms period. the famed lion has even given its name to a locally brewed beer and is a symbol of the city.