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Home , Dui (vessel), Qishan County, Xian (state), Xu (state), Zhang Changshou

A Study on Zhou Period Bronze

Zhang Maorong

Keywords: bronze xu food vessel typology combination

Among Shang and Zhou bronzes, the xu-vessel does (Fig. 1:6). Style 2 has longer legs, as seen in Ge Cong Xu not appear to have captured much attention. The reason 从 (Fig. 1:7). Style 3 has a unique form of legs, only is that it flourished for only a short time, that is to say, the seen in Hou Dui Xu 晋侯对 乙 (Fig. 1:8). middle and late and the early Springs and Type II. This type has attached loops. By the forms Autumns periods. Generally cast under the category of of ring feet, they can be divided into four subtypes. -vessels 簋 since the Dynasty, it was identified Subtype IIA is characteristic of attached loops and ring only in the recent centuries. Given a careful study, the foot, as seen in the Bo Xu 伯鲜 (Fig. 2:2). bronze xu does not occur in a small number: it exceeds Subtype IIB has attached loops but it has perforation on dou-stemmed plates 豆 and fu-vessels , and approaches ring foot. By the form of ring feet, vessels of this subtype -steamers and li-tripods 鬲. It started to become display two styles. Style 1 features rectangular popular in the middle and late Western Zhou, and played perforations, as seen in the Bo Mi Fu Xu 伯 父 (Fig. an important role in the developmental history of bronze 2:1). Style 2 features leaf-form perforations, as seen in vessels. Due to the overall neglect of bronze xu in the the Mi Xu 弭叔 discovered in 1959 in the Sipo 寺 past, I think it is necessary to undertake a comprehensive, 坡 Village in Lantian蓝田 County, Shaanxi陕西. Sub- systematic analysis, to consider its relationship with type IIC features four legs under the ring foot. By the vessels gui, -tripod 鼎, fu-vessel, dui-vessel 敦, and differences in the size of the legs, they are divided into to evaluate its proper role and function in the Zhou food two styles. Style 1, as in the Zhong Tai Shi Zi Xu 仲太 vessels. 师子 , has elliptical perforations, and short legs (Fig. 2: 3). Style 2, as in the Liu Sheng Xu 生 , has square I perforations and short legs (Fig. 2:6). Subtype IID has I have collected 150 samples of bronze xu altogether. By four legs but without ring foot. By the forms of the legs, the forms of their suspension loops, they occur in two they can be divided into two styles. Style 1 has legs in the types. form of human figure, only seen in the Jin Hou Dui Xu Type I. This type has semicircular ring loops. By the 晋侯对 甲 (Fig. 2:4). Style 2 has long legs, as in the differences in their ring feet, samples of this type occur Shao Bo Xu 召伯虎 (Fig. 2:5) and Ze Sheng in three subtypes. Subtype IA has semicircular loop and Xu (Fig. 2:7). ring foot; a representative piece is the Hou Cheng Based on the typology of the bronze xu and their Xu 应侯 (Fig. 1:1). Samples of subtype IB are interrelation, we can differentiate six periods of the Zhou semicircular loops and perforated ring feet. By the differ- bronze xu. ences in the form of perforation, they display two styles. Period I. In this period occurred only the subtype IA Style 1 has rectangular perforation, as seen in the Bo Che (Ying Hou Cheng Xu). It can be dated to the early middle Fu Xu 伯车父 (Fig. 1:2). Style 2 has leaf-like Western Zhou, or the reigns of King Mu 穆 and King perforation, as seen in Bo Tai Shi Xu 伯太师 , Ke Xu Gong 共. This subtype resembles bronze gui, and dis- 克 , and Xu 梁其 (Figs. 1:3–5). Subtype IC plays an early form. has semicircular loop and ring foot but equipped with Period II. To this period belong style 1 of subtype IB four legs. By the length of legs and morphological and style 1 of subtype IC. It can be dated to the late differences, they display three styles. Style 1 has short middle Western Zhou, or the reigns of King Yi 懿 and legs under the ring foot, only seen in the Xu King Xiao 孝. In both number and form xu of this period

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7 8 Fig. 1 Type I bronze xu-vessel 1. Ying Hou Cheng Xu (subtype IA, from burial M84 in cemetery of Ying State at Pingdingshan, ) 2. Bo Che Fu Xu (subtype IB style 1, from burial M3 at Hejia Village, Qishan County, ) 3. Bo Tai Shi Xu (subtype IB style 2) 4. Ke Xu (subtype IB style 2) 5. Liang Qi Xu (subtype IB style 2) 6. Xing Xu (subtype IC style 1, from hoard No. 1 at Zhuangbai Village, , Shaanxi) 7. Ge Cong Xu (subtype IC style 2) 8. Jin Hou Dui Xu yi (subtype IC style 3, from burial M2 in cemetery of Jin Hou at Beizhao, Shanxi)

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6 7 Fig. 2 Type II bronze xu-vessel 1. Bo Mi Fu Xu ( subtype IIB style 1, from hoard of West Zhou at Fengchu Village, Fufeng County, Shaanxi) 2. Bo Xian Xu ( subtype IIA) 3. Zhong Tai Shi Zi Xu ( subtype IIC style 1, from hoard No. 2 at Zhuangbai Village, Fufeng County, Shaanxi) 4. Jin Hou Dui Xu jia (subtype IID style 1, from burial M1 in cemetery of Jin Hou at Beizhao, Shanxi) 5. Shao Bo Hu Xu (subtype IID style 2, from burial C5M906 at east suburb of Luoyang, Henan) 6. Liu Sheng Xu (subtype IIC style 2) 7. Ze Sheng Xu (from Jiacun Village, County, Shaanxi)

Volume 4 155 sees an increase, and gradually differ from bronze gui. 庶父作 簋 (Bo Shu Fu created xu gui),” which point to Period III. It is dated to the early late Western Zhou, the intimate link between them. the reigns of King Yi 夷 and King Li 厉. In this period 4. In combination, the tomb M84 of the Ying 应 bronze xu reached its prime time; it saw almost all the State cemetery at Pingdingshan 平顶山 yields two bronze forms of xu and the largest number of xu. This was the ding and one bronze xu, but not bronze gui. Obviously xu period of rapid development of this vessel. was employed to substitute gui in the combination with Period IV. It is dated to the late late Western Zhou, ding. In addition, xu and gui almost never concur in the reigns of King Xuan 宣 and King 幽. Like burials, which further indicates that xu was identical to period III, this period saw a large number of this vessel, gui in function. which indicates that xu continued to grow in Western Granted that bronze xu bears so many similarities to Zhou. But it saw less variety of bronze xu, which indi- bronze gui, what reason prompted the production of cates that forms of xu had been consolidated. bronze xu in addition to bronze gui? As said earlier, Ying Period V. It is dated to the early Springs and Au- Hou Cheng Xu is the earliest known piece to date, and its tumns period. Compared with those of period IV, xu owner was a member of the royal house of Western Zhou decreased significantly in form and number, and showed Dynasty. They indicate that bronze xu was an element of much lower craftsmanship, which signifies the decline the -Zhou Culture. The Shang State elaborated wine of bronze xu. vessels, and they invented jiao that resembles , Period VI. Only style 1 of subtype IB occurred in this that resembles , pou, and in addition to gu, jue, and period, which equates late Springs and Autumns period. jia, whereas the Zhou State elaborated on food vessels, Xu became rare in number and simplified in form, which and it created morphologically similar xu in addition to indicates that it had come to its end. gui. Despite that the similarities between bronze xu and II bronze gui, one should not ignore the difference. In the Some scholars hypothesize that the xu-vessel was de- beginning xu was named as gui, but it was limited in rived from ding, but sufficient evidence indicates a close number. This may indicate its intimate relationship with link of this vessel with gui, in another words, derivative gui, but virtually it differentiated from gui and became a of gui. completely new type of food vessel. Morphologically 1. Morphologically, the Ying Hou Cheng Xu, the speaking, the early xu resembles gui, but in the late earliest known bronze xu to date, resembles the type of period it differed significantly from the latter; the ring gui with ring loop, spherical body and ring foot. Subtype foot and the lid handle are strikingly different from gui. IB, the mainstream form, was derived from subtype IA Especially those of subtypes IIB, IIC, and IID have and retains many similarities to gui. Subtype IC, another completely removed from the form of gui. Some xu like frequent form, apparently imitated the“ foot plus three Ze Sheng Xu look much like ding, but little like gui. In legs” type popular in its time. distribution, bronze gui was widespread to the entire 2. Ornamentally, the major motif that the Ying Hou territory of Zhou, whereas bronze xu was only popular in Cheng Xu, the earliest piece, bears a bird with bifurcated limited regions, in Qizhou 岐周, 丰镐, and tails. Such bird motif mostly appears on the gui with Chengzhou 成周, the three capitals, and the neighboring semicircular ring loops. Subtypes IIB and IIC are fully states such as Jin 晋 and Ying. Even in the capital decorated with the ribbon design, which had already vicinity, xu did not entirely take the place of gui. Even in been applied to bronze gui. This is also the case with the burials over the size of seven square meters discovered concentric ring, wave, dragon, and curve designs. Thus at Zhangjiapo 张家坡, Fengxi 沣西, xu is not present. In xu resembles gui in both motives and decorative styles. the Zhuangbai 庄白 Hoard No. 1, belonging to the per- 3. Inscriptionally, on the Ji Yi Xu 华季益 son Xing are eight gui and two xu, signifying that xu there is the inscription“华季益作宝簋 (The Ji Lord of had not yet replaced gui. In some burials xu substitutes Hua, named Yi, crafted the treasure gui). The fact that gui in combination with ding (or li), but this is not this vessel is actually a xu but named as gui indicates that common. In the middle and late Western Zhou, the ding- contemporaneous people regarded xu and gui as similar gui combination continued to be the predominant assem- vessels. The two names of vessels are even inscribed blage of food vessels. The difference lies in that gui together on the lid of the Bo Shu Fu Xu 伯庶父 as“伯 appears in all sizes of burials, whereas xu only appears in

156 Chinese Archaeology the middle and large burials that exceed 10 square meters Western Zhou, these castes were heavily trodden. A in dimension. In this vein, it is noticeable that the owners large number of hereditary aristocrats and court officials of xu were usually lords of vassal states (such as Ying were killed or stripped off their privileges; accordingly Hou Cheng, Jin Hou Dui), court officials (such as Xing, the culture that revolved around the bronze xu came to a Shao Bo Hu, and Ke). Thus xu could be used only by sudden collapse. middle-rank aristocrats and above; it was beyond the 5. Apart from ding and gui, other food vessels such privilege of the low-rank aristocrats. Moreover, xu func- as basin, fu, and dui cast certain effect on xu. The basin tioned slightly different from gui. Ninety percent of xu appeared in the late Western Zhou, and began to flourish has the inscription“Lü Xu.”This suggests that bronze in the early and middle Springs and Autumns period. Its xu be more suitable for travel than bronze gui, as xu often emergence consumed certain developmental space. Fu, has lid, whereas gui does not. which prospered in the Springs and Autumns period and Overall, bronze xu emerged in the middle Western resembled xu in morphology, might also have been one Zhou when food vessel arose to flourishing, and placed of the forces that drove xu out of use in the Springs and a special role in food vessel assemblage. When it joined Autumns period. Dui was a new thriving vessel in the the bronze assemblage, it helped to elevate the status of middle Springs and Autumns, and it was another deriva- food vessels in the ritual bronzes and to indicate the tive of gui. But unlike xu, it appeared not only in large social rank of the owners. burials, but also in small burials. In a broader area it came to replace gui in combination with ding. When it arose to III take the place of gui, it also replaced xu. Bronze xu emerged in the middle Western Zhou, but References quickly declined in the late Springs and Autumns period. What are the reasons? 1. Fangmei 陈芳妹(1985).“Shangzhou 1. As stated earlier, in the late Western Zhou, bronze qingtong guixingqi yanjiu—fulun gui yu qita zichengqi xu was produced in the largest quantity and in the richest de guanxi 商周青铜簋形器研究——附论簋与其他粢 variety, but in the early Springs and Autumns period it 盛器的关系”. In Shangzhou Qingtong Zichengqi Tezhan dramatically decreased. A logical explanation is that the Tulu 商周青铜粢盛器特展图录. : Gugong collapse of the Western Zhou Kingdom brought about a Bowuyuan 故宫博物院. major destruction to the culture. 2. Hayashi Minao 林巳奈夫(1984). In Shū seidō -ki 2. Despite that xu sometimes substituted gui in sōran 殷周青铜器综览. T ōkyō: Yoshikawa Kōbunkan combination with ding, the ding-gui remained to be the 吉川弘文馆. fundamental assemblage in the middle and late Western 3. 李学勤(1990). Xinchu Qingtongqi Zhou. Xu never took over the place of gui. Yanjiu 新出青铜器研究. Beijing: Wenwu Chubanshe. 3. Bronze gui spread to the broad territory of Zhou, 4. Wang Shimin 王世民, Chen Gongrou 陈公柔, but bronze xu was limited to a small region, namely, the and Changshou 张长寿(1999). Xizhou Qingtongqi Zongzhou 宗周 area centering on the Guanzhong 关中 Fenqi Duandai Yanjiu 西周青铜器分期断代研究. Plain. Therefore when the Western Zhou fell, this vessel Beijing: Wenwu Chubanshe 文物出版社. was most severely destroyed. 5. Zhu Fenghan 朱凤瀚(1995). Gudai Zhongguo 4. As stated earlier, bronze xu was primarily used by Qingtongqi 古代中国青铜器. Tianjin: Nankai Daxue the middle-rank aristocrats and above. In the fall of the Chubanshe 南开大学出版社.

Note: The original paper was published in Kaogu Xuebao 考古学报 2003.1: 1–28 with 3 figures and 2 charts, written by Zhang Maorong张懋 . The present version, an abridgment from the original, is prepared by the author himself and English-translated by Zhang Liangren 张良仁.

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