From Taotie, Kui Dragon, Phoenix and other decorative patterns, their original relationship with pottery and jade decorative patterns in Urgesellschaft
The Bronze Age of China was formed around 2000 BC, and it lasted 15 centuries until the Spring and Autumn Warring States period. By the late Shang Dynasty and early Western Zhou Dynasty, the level of bronze smelting and casting technology reached its peak.
The strong emotional factors of bronze art mainly come from the decorative patterns unique to the Shang and Zhou dynasties. From the decorative patterns of Taotie, Kui Dragon, Phoenix and so on, we can see their original relationship with the decorative patterns of pottery and jade in Urgesellschaft.
1、 Gluttonous texture
The name comes from the Lüshi Chunqiu Annals: "When Zhou Ding was engaged in taotie, there was a head but no body, and the cannibalism was not swallowed, so the words were used to compensate for the harm." The taotie pattern was mostly applied to the main decorative parts of the objects, carved with flexible Yin lines or raised with Yang lines.
The composition is full, and the main pattern is filled with varied cloud and thunder patterns on both sides, with the beauty of complementary yin and yang. Taotie patterns were mainly popular during the Shang Dynasty and the early Western Zhou Dynasty, and were once again popular after the Eastern Zhou Dynasty. However, they had lost their original dominant position and fierce colors, and instead became luxurious decorations.
2、 Kui dragon pattern
Since the Song Dynasty, in the records of bronze vessels, any reptile like object that represents one foot is called Kui or Kui Dragon, which is related to the ancient book "Kui One Foot". Kui, God also, like a dragon with one foot. Some Kui patterns have developed into geometric and graphic decorations, with significant changes.
The common practice is to have a body that is bifurcated or diagonal, with a Kui head on each end. It was prevalent in the Shang and early Western Zhou dynasties. The Kui dragon pattern usually refers to the side dragon shaped image with a long body arched and horns on the head, some with fin-shaped feet under the abdomen, and some without. It has many changes and is flexible to use.
Sometimes it is used as an auxiliary pattern to fill the blank on both sides of the gluttonous pattern. It can also form a continuous arrangement of decorative strips separately, with a square continuous pattern of Kui dragon pattern and circular vortex pattern arranged alternately, known as the fire dragon pattern.
3、 Dragon pattern
It was first seen during the Erligang period of the Shang Dynasty, and later in the late Shang Dynasty, the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Spring and Autumn Period, and the Warring States period, different forms of dragon patterns appeared. During the Shang Dynasty, it was mostly manifested in a curved form; In the Western Zhou Dynasty, several dragons were often coiled around each other, with their heads in the middle and separated into two tails.
It is said that the appearance of dragons is related to water. According to Kao Gong Ji · The Painting of Colourful Flowers, "water is a dragon, and fire is a circle." It is the image of dragons that symbolizes the god of water. Therefore, in bronze water vessels, the scroll or three-dimensional image of dragons appears more often.
4、 Bird pattern
On bronze vessels, they are mostly arranged symmetrically, with long feathers hanging down or curling up, forming a forward or backward look. The jade cong unearthed in Liangzhu culture has clear bird patterns. The earliest appearance on bronze ware was the deformed bird pattern of the Erligang period.
During the Yin Ruins period, bird patterns were already used as the main decoration. Bird patterns appeared in large numbers in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, and lasted until the Spring and Autumn period. In the Shang Dynasty, bird patterns were mostly short tailed, while in the Western Zhou Dynasty, bird patterns were long tailed and high crowned. Bird patterns include phoenix patterns, owl patterns, phoenix patterns, and flocks of geese patterns.
5、 Cloud and thunder pattern
An original pattern for decoration of Ceramic, with circular, curved, curled or square, convoluted lines. In traditional decoration, cloud and thunder patterns generally appear in the form of shading, used to set off the theme image and create a luxurious and intricate effect.
6、 Ripple pattern
It is a banded pattern of dragon and snake body deformation. The composition is broad and lingering, like the undulating waves of the sea, adorned on a large vessel, with a very grand momentum. The curved space is often filled with circular patterns, so it is also known as circular patterns, which prevailed in the Western Zhou Dynasty.
The social function of Chinese bronze ware has gradually shifted from sacrificial vessels to practical tools. At the same time, the decorative patterns of bronze ware have evolved from solemn gluttonous and Kui patterns to rhythmic patterns such as theft and band patterns, and then developed into fresh patterns such as dragon dragon patterns, banquet and battle patterns,
This change in decoration is not only caused by the improvement of manufacturing technology or people's aesthetic level, but also has a certain connection with the improvement of human productivity and social changes.
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.
