THE EARLY AND MIDDLE SHANG
The Formative Period
Shang bronzes predating the 13th century were first found at Erligang, in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province. The finds at Erligang include the site of an early Shang city wall and, around it, the remains of workshops that made pottery, bone implements and bronzes. Bronzes have been found buried in some graves, and in underground pits. Following the excavations at Zhengzhou, early Shang bronzes have been discovered in graves in other parts of the Central Plains region.
The bronzes recovered from graves around the perimeter of the Shang city at Panlongcheng, Huangpu county, Hubei Province are clearly more advanced, both in form and decoration, than those found at Zhengzhou. Those discovered at Funan in Anhui Province surpass the level attained during the early period in vessel shape, decoration and casting technology; yet similar vessels have now been found in the Central Plains and Hanzhong regions. One may surmise that these are the mid-Shang period successors of the early Shang bronzes found at Zhengzhou. A large group of bronzes has also been discovered at Xintai, under the embankment on the eastern side of the Gan River in Jiangxi Province. Although the date and nature of this burial have yet to be determined, it certainly includes a group of mid-Shang period bronzes.
Early Shang period bronzes exhibit fairly major developments in both shape and vessel assemblages. The most basic assemblage in bronze ritual vessels is one jue and one gu. The jue with an animal mask design is very regular in shape. There are two nail-shaped posts next to its spout. The decorative band divides the neck and belly into separate sections. The gu with an animal mask design is a drinking vessel with a trumpet mouth and a relatively wide body. There are large cruciform holes on the vessel's ring foot and it is shaped like an open-mouthed cup.
Some ding food vessels have also been discovered in graves. The ding with an animal mask design has a deep belly with a round base that resembles a jar in shape. Its three flat legs have been cast as small standing dragons for decorative purposes. These vessels are all relatively light in weight. They differ from Xia period vessels in that many bear crude animal mask designs. None of these designs are realistic; all are purely abstract forms. The animal's eyes have not been given the required emphasis, and are depicted as small points. This is the usual style of early Shang period animal mask patterns.
Bronze vessel shapes underwent fairly major developments in the mid-Shang period. The most representative vessels of this period are the wide-mouthed, shouldered zun and the straight-necked, shouldered zun. Other wine vessels included various types of hu with movable loop handles. Characteristic too, are some lidded vessels cast with loop handles.
An obvious feature of mid-Shang period bronzes is the increasing emphasis on the decorative element. A significantly greater area on the surface of vessels is taken up by designs. The lines making up a pattern unit grow closer together and the composition of individual units improves.