17 th century BC – 200 AD.. The art of China’s earliest dynastic periods, often called the Bronze Age, from the Shang to the Han dynasties (1600BC - 200.

17th century BC – 200 AD

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Chinese Bronze Vessels

The art of China’s earliest dynastic periods, often called the Bronze Age, from the Shang to the Han dynasties (1600BC - 200 AD) focused on the cult of the dead. Concerned with securing immortality and safe passage to the afterlife, kings and their officers constructed and decorated lavish tombs. This, of course, is similar to the religious beliefs of the Egyptians.

The Chinese favored underground burials and many tombs remain intact today. Intricately fashioned bronze vessels, weapons, carved jades and ceramic objects were placed near the coffin to provide comfort and protection in the next world.

The earliest Chinese bronzes were made by the method known as piece-mold casting—as opposed to the lost-wax method, which was used in all other Bronze Age cultures. In piece-mold casting, a model is made of the object to be cast, and a clay mold taken of the model. The mold is then cut in sections to release the model, and the sections are reassembled after firing to form the mold for casting. If the object to be cast is a vessel, a core has to be placed inside the mold to provide the vessel's cavity. The piece-mold method was most likely the only one used in China until at least the end of the Shang dynasty. An advantage of this rather cumbersome way of casting bronze was that the decorative patterns could be carved or stamped directly on the inner surface of the mold before it was fired. This technique enabled the bronze worker to achieve a high degree of sharpness and definition in even the most intricate designs.

There are four main types of bronzes based on function: food vessels, wine vessels, water vessels, and musical instruments. Within each type, endless variation is to be found in form and design, fully demonstrating the rich imagination and creativity of the Chinese of the time.

Bronze Bell, 5th century BC

Ancient China Bronze Bird and Beast Carving Wine Server

Bronze Gui of Shi You (food container)

There is a symbolic design used in Chinese sacrificial bronzes 3,000 years ago that combines all sorts of animal characteristics found in the natural world into one ferocious creature--the t'ao-t'ieh, or ``beast of gluttony.'' Set in a fiercely blazing fire, the beast's bulging eyes glared straight at the observer, his great mouth gaped in a wide grin with flashing saber-like teeth. His stiletto claws were exposed and poised for action, and a pair of ears or horns protruded from his head. Ferocious a sight as it was, it conveyed mystery and beauty.

The designs on the bronzes are fascinating. Shang artists were obviously obsessed with real and imaginary animal forms. In addition to the elephant (not native to northern China and probably brought from the south for the royal zoo) and the rams, find the birds, dragons and animal masks called taotie. The background for the beasts is a series of spiral patterns. The silhouettes of some vessels bristle with fin-like flanges.video of bronze exhibition

These Bronze Age ritual vessels were used to hold wine. They were filled and placed in tombs as offerings for the deceased ancestors. Reverence for the dead was and still is very important (make them happy and you will find good fortune or at least escape the wrath of unhappy spirits).

Both feature taotie, the supernatural zoomorphic decorative reliefs of man-eating monsters with a head but no body. These were depicted on ritual bronzes to guard tombs from evil spirits.

Ceremonial wine vessels (fang yi)

It was during the (Eastern) Zhou Dynasty that many great philosophers arose, such as 6th century BCE contemporaries Laozi and Confucius. Their philosophies would not be practiced or expressed in art until much later.

A gui was a ritual vessel for food offerings, used in the Shang and throughout the Zhou period in China. 11th century BC

Scholars believe the bronze vessels were likely copies of ceramic vessels. A fine white pottery was made during the Shang Dynasty. Many ceramic vessels were similar in size and shape to bronze vessels made during the same period.

Bronze Water Vessel Shang Dynasty White Pottery