MIDDLE AND LATE
SPRING AND AUTUMN AND WARRING STATES
A Period of Innovation
Between the 6th century and 476 BC, the middle and late Spring and Autumn
periods, China entered the Iron Age. As the ancient slave system began to
collapse, a new class of feudal land-owners emerged. This new order stimulated
national productivity and promoted economic prosperity. In the context of a
general advance in the level of industrial technology, there were new
developments in bronze casting techniques. The lost wax method, mould stamps,
and separate casting began to be widely used, leading to rapid improvement of
quality and growth of production capacity.
Many new types of wine vessel appeared. The he with an animal mask design and a
dragon shaped spout has an open mouth and is shaped like an obtuse triangle.
Many parts of the animal mask design and the decorative pattern on the vessel
are done in relief. This is similar to the decorative methods seen on bronzes
from the region of Shangdong Province that date to the Eastern Zhou period. It
is clear that this piece was also cast by the Yue tribe in imitation of the
shape of Western Zhou he from the Central Plains.
The animal zun unearthed at Liyucun, Hunyuan, Shanxi Province is shaped like a
water buffalo. The belly of the vessel is hollow. There are three pits on the
head and back of the animal. The central pit contained a pot so that the zun
could be used for both storing and heating wine. The creative use of bird or
animal forms had been a characteristic of bronze ritual vessels since the Shang
and Zhou periods. Here the use of the imposing buffalo shape as a symbol
represents the ingenious employment of an ancient tradition in a new age.
The pair of hu with a bird, animal and dragon design that were unearthed along
with this zun are tall, large and beautifully decorated vessels. There are in
all eight decorative bands on their bodies, 4 wide bands alternating with four
narrow ones. The first three broad bands on the mouth depict a type of magical
creature with a human face, an animal's body and a bird's beak and tail,
entwined with a dragon. The fourth wide decorative band depicts an animal's head
eating a coiled dragon-like creature. In 3 of the narrow bands there are animals
- oxen, rhinoceros, tigers, leopards and others - some of then devouring humans
and other animals. The hides of the animals were engraved after the vessel was
cast. The final band shows a flock of wild geese with curved necks and extended
heads. Some of the decoration on these vessels is seen on pottery moulds
unearthed at the ruins of a bronze foundry of the State of Jin at Houma. These
hu are the representative works of Jin State bronze culture. They ended up in a
border region because of contemporary inter-state commercial contact and
warfare.
The technique of bronze inlay was previously not used on ritual vessels but by
the late Spring and Autumn period there are brilliant examples of inlaid bronzes
to be found among both ritual utensils and implements for everyday use. The type
of inlaid designs developed from geometric patterns to all kinds of pictures
depicting the life of the aristocracy. On the dou with an inlaid hunting scene,
copper has been used to inlay the design on the belly of the vessel. It depicts
running and leaping wild animals, and hunters with taut bows shooting at them.
Some of the animals are pierced by several arrows. Hunters are also depicted
spearing fleeing animals. Hunting was then an important activity of the
aristocracy, and considered to be practice for warfare.
The technique used to inlay large copper pieces was first to cast the design,
leaving hollows for the inlay, and then to coarsen the base of the hollows with
an awl. Shaped pieces of copper were then placed into the hollows and hammered
so that the soft metal expanded to fill up the available space and was firmly
attached to the roughened base.
The dragon designs on the side of the belly of the Feng Shu yi were cast as
bronze openwork and the open areas were then filled in with copper. The copper
inlaid dragon design can therefore be seen both from the inside and the outside
of the vessel. This inlay technique is exceptionally rare on bronzes.
From the 6th century BC a great number of tools for the everyday use of the
feudal lords and the aristocracy were also produced in bronze. The Wu Wang Fu
Chai jian was, according to the inscription on its inner wall, made by King Wu
in the early part of the fifth century BC for his personal use. The jian is a
water container. In summer it also served to store ice to keep foods at a low
temperature. Some jian could additionally be used as washing basins.
The Warring States period lasted from 475 BC to 221 BC. Most of the bronzes
dating from this period are utensils for daily use. There is an abundance of
vessel shapes, some very unusual, and with distinct regional styles. The oblate
hu with a "cloth-straps" design has a long neck, rounded shoulders and
a wide belly. The area between the ring foot and the loop handle is decorated
with broad horizontal stripes. It has a chain handle with 6 round links on
either side and this is attached to the rings on the hu's shoulders, making it
convenient to carry. There is also a 3-link chain on top of the cover that is
attached to the shoulders of the hu. These were cast by means of the
piece-casting technique, The most unusual feature of this vessel, however, is
that it is flattened at the back. From the front it appears to be a round hu but
from the rear it looks like a flat hu.
Bronze decoration of the Warring States period is mainly ornamental. The mystery
and solemnity of earlier times has disappeared. Geometric designs are laid out
very regularly and can sometimes achieve the effect of cloth weave. The lines of
some patterns are as fine as human hair and are difficult to distinguish with
the naked eye.
Apart from impressed decoration of this nature, the designs on bronzes of the
period are also inlaid with gold, silver, copper, turquoise, mother of pearl,
precious stones and other materials, making them even more sumptuous.
Ancient Chinese bronzes were produced under the social conditions dictated by
the age and underwent a lengthy course of development and change. Taking the
2000 years of evolution in bronze technology as a whole, these bronzes - whether
considered from the viewpoint of vessel type, decoration and casting techniques,
not to mention the calligraphy of their inscriptions and their importance as
historical records - constitute an outstanding achievement of the ancient world.
The bronzes crystallize the dedication, the talent and the wisdom of innumerable
craftsmen. As a magnificent cultural and artistic inheritance, they do not
belong to China alone. They are an inseparable part of world art and world
culture.
Source: Ancient Chinese Bronzes in the Shanghai Museum, Chen Peifen, Scala Books