Bronze Feast
The Bronze Age of the Chinese civilization began about 4000 years ago and lasted about 1600 years after the Xia, Shang and Zhou dynasties recorded in historical documents. When bronze ware is first cast, it appears shiny and dazzling in golden yellow, hence it is also known as "gold" or "auspicious gold". At that time, the royal nobility not only used precious bronze alloys to cast into production tools and military weapons, but also had a large number of exquisite ceremonial tools, mainly used in important occasions such as sacrifices, feasts, and ceremonies, to communicate with ancestors and gods, and to highlight the identity and class of users, fully reflecting the important position of religious beliefs and ceremonial systems at that time.
Gorgeous decoration is an important feature of the bronze ritual vessels of the Chinese civilization. The rich patterns not only have the function of beautifying the body, but also serve as a medium for communication between humans and the supernatural world. The decorative patterns on bronze ware mostly stem from ancient people's observation and transformation of nature, which can be roughly divided into animal patterns, plant patterns, geometric patterns, and patterns created through imagination, such as mysterious animal face patterns, auspicious phoenix patterns, and revered dragon patterns.
Middle Shang Dynasty Fish Pattern Plate
This is the earliest copper plate in the collection of the Taipei Palace Museum, with a considerable size. The exterior of the vessel is decorated with a combination of Kui dragon patterns and continuous bead patterns, which were popular patterns on bronze vessels at that time. The long Kui dragon looms faintly in the clouds and thunder patterns. Relatively speaking, the patterns inside the plate are quite clear. The center is a circular vortex pattern with a rotating intention, and the outer side is composed of four fish patterns arranged in a clockwise manner. The combination of the two presents a scene of fish swimming clockwise with the water flow.
Late Shang Dynasty Beast Face Textured Count
This nobleman has an oval bottom and a decorative animal face pattern on his abdomen. The feet are slender, and the mouth is in a circular arc shape with both ends raised, combined with towering mushroom shaped columns, creating a beautiful and balanced appearance.
Late Shang Dynasty Yachou Fang Zun
This is a rare square statue. The square objects represent the noble status of the producer, and the decoration is particularly magnificent. The entire vessel is adorned with patterns, outlining the ever-changing patterns of dragons and animal faces. The most eye-catching feature is that three three-dimensional animal heads with different shapes can be seen on each side of the shoulder.
In the remote Bronze Age, the most important thing in daily life was sacrifice, and most of the bronzes cast at that time were used for this purpose. To show piety and respect for etiquette, people strive for cleanliness in etiquette, making washing and related water utensils an important part of the ceremony. The "pan" with circular feet is the main toilet tool, used as a water basin for watering and washing hands, or can be filled with water and used as a mirror.
Fine wine and delicacies can be used to worship ancestors and gods, as well as to provide food for the living. Both wine and food have dedicated bronze utensils. The people of the Shang Dynasty were famous for their addiction to alcohol, and there were various types of wine vessels. For example, the three legs of the "Jue" could be heated to warm the wine, and the curved mouth could pour liquid; The "Zun", which stores large capacity liquor, is characterized by a trumpet shaped mouth, most of which are large in size and decorated beautifully. During the Zhou Dynasty, food utensils became the main characters in bronze ritual vessels, with "Ding" and "Gui" as the core. The tripod standing on three legs is the main cooking utensil, and the bottom can be heated for cooking meat such as cattle and sheep. Gui is a container for holding food, often used in conjunction with a tripod.
In ceremonial occasions, in addition to water vessels, wine vessels, and food vessels, there are also bronze musical instruments, such as the "bell" used for hanging, which is often composed of several pieces in a complete set. After being struck, it emits a resounding and distant sound, making the atmosphere harmonious and grand. Through a variety of bronze ritual vessels, one can glimpse the ancient people's prudence and value for sacrifice.
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