Edition: English | 中文简体 | 中文繁体 Монгол
Homepage > Culture

Int'l Museum Day: A look at museums' most precious treasures

Editor: zhenglimin 丨CCTV.com

05-18-2017 19:05 BJT

Full coverage: Eyes on Arts

 3. Square vessel (fang zun) with four rams of Late Shang (1300 B.C.to 1046 B.C.)

Square vessel (fang zun) with four rams of Late Shang (1300 B.C.to 1046 B.C.)

Square vessel (fang zun) with four rams of Late Shang (1300 B.C.to 1046 B.C.)

A collection work from National Museum of China

Height: 58.3cm, Mouth: 52.4cm

Excavated in 1938 from Yueshanpu, Ningxiang, Hunan Province

Introduction:

This square zun has a large mouth with a flared flat lip, a long neck, projecting shoulder, shallow belly and high ring foot. There are flanges on the four corners and in the middle of all four sides. The neck has a design of triangular one-legged dragons and the flanges become the noses of the animal face designs below, with curly horns, round protruding eyes and a scrolled tail. On the shoulder are high-relief designs of dragons with their three-dimensional heads on the center and their bodies wriggling along the sides. On the four corners of the shoulder are four protruding rams’ heads with curly horns, the belly of the vessel forming their chests and their legs extending down the ring foot. Their heads have engraved thunder patterns and there are scales on their chests and backs. Both sides are decorated with an elegant design of a bird with a high crest. The ring foot also carries a design of one-legged dragons. This vessel combines the techniques of engraving, high relief and three-dimensional relief in a dignified and refined form with intricately worked designs. It is a perfect fusion of molding and artistic design representing the very best of bronze-making by the traditional clay mold technique.

Follow us on

  • Please scan the QR Code to follow us on Instagram

  • Please scan the QR Code to follow us on Wechat