Decrypting the Mysterious Formula of China 2300 Years ago
The missing ingredients in ancient Chinese bronze formulas may have been discovered, and a new study has revealed the complex level of chemical practice at that time. The relevant results were published in the August 10th issue of 'Antiquities'.
Kao Gong Ji is the oldest technical encyclopedia in the world, with a history of 2300 years. This book contains instructions on how to make items such as metal drums, tanks, and weapons, as well as six bronze formulas that have long troubled researchers.
Although the production of bronzes at that time was not unique to China, Liu Ruiliang, from the British Museum in London, England, said that the style and scale of bronzes produced in China were unparalleled.
We can't help but ask ourselves, how did the Chinese people produce so many bronze vessels at that time? "Liu Ruiliang said.
Bronze is usually made by mixing copper and tin. The core of the secret recipe is two ingredients that researchers have been unable to determine, namely "gold" and "tin". In modern Chinese, "gold" means gold, but in ancient times, it referred to copper or copper alloy. Meanwhile, 'tin' has always been considered to refer to tin.
But chemical analysis of the bronze vessels of that period indicates that "gold" and "tin" cannot simply be composed of copper and tin.
Liu Ruiliang and colleagues analyzed the chemical composition data previously collected on Chinese knife shaped coins, which were produced during the same period as recording the formula. By sorting out the metal relationships present in coins, researchers believe that these items are made of prefabricated alloys.
They found that the higher the concentration of lead in coins, the lower the concentration of copper and tin. Among the coins with the highest copper concentration, tin also has the highest concentration. These findings indicate that lead was mixed into an alloy of copper and tin - a type of bronze alloy.
By simulating different combinations, the research team determined that a copper tin lead alloy with a ratio of 80:15:5 and a copper lead alloy with a ratio of 50:50 were the most compatible with the chemical data of the coin.
Liu Ruiliang said that according to Kao Gong Ji, these prefabricated alloys may be "gold" and "tin" respectively. But he added that the recipe in the book may not reflect how bronze is usually made.
"If there is any difference, it is that the formula is too specific." He said, "Those who have dirty hands may not be able to read or write, so they cannot record the formula. I think there is a Knowledge gap hypothesis between the people who write the formula and the people who work."
Mei Jianjun of Cambridge University does not fully believe these findings. He said that these formulas should not be considered accurate records of the practices at that time. These officials who wrote the text may only focus on the most important materials, such as copper and tin, rather than other materials, "he said. If you consider" gold "and" tin "as copper and tin, these formulas are still largely effective.
Jessica Rawson from Oxford University said that in ancient China, bronze was used to make large vessels for religious purposes. China has a huge labor force, so it can manufacture very complex products that use more metals than the West, "she said.
Sculpmart is a professional bronze art and bronze wares manufacturer providing Chinese Bronze Handcraft arts which will allow you to have a chance to own a masterpiece of Chinese bronze sculptures. If you like, you may choose the style to customize, send us the image and design, our craftsman will reproduce and cast a perfect bronze ware for you.
Please contact if you need.
