Other Bronze in National Palace Museum, part2

Welcome to the National Palace Museum's collection of Other Bronze from the Song dynasty! These artifacts are some of the most beautiful and intricate pieces from this period, and they provide us with a unique insight into Chinese culture during this time. You will find battle axes, food containers, wine vessels, water vessels, measures, and more. These artifacts feature intricate patterns such as animal masks, phoenixes, dragons, and more. We hope you enjoy exploring these incredible artifacts!

1. Yue battle ax with animal mask pattern and turquoise inlay

This object is a weapon known as a "yue". It has a blade on one side and a long handle on the other. It was used by high-ranking military commanders who had royal authority.

2. Gui food container with square base and phoenix pattern

The Gui vessels and ding cauldrons were important types of bronze food containers often used together. The cauldrons were used to hold meat, while the gui vessels held cooked rice, maize, and other grains.

3. Zun wine vessel to Yi the grandfather

This zun wine vessel from the early Western Zhou dynasty is decorated with tapering leaf-shaped simplified upside-down kui patterns, below which kui dragon patterns with curled tails can be seen.

4. Square Ding cauldron of Marquis of Kang

This vessel was commissioned by Marquis of Kang and is called Fong 封. It is a cuboid shape and has four cylinder feet with cicada motifs. There are six ridges on the middle of each long side and at the four corners.

5. Pan water vessel with coiling dragon pattern

This pan plate has a coiled dragon on it, with its head slightly raised and in the center of the plate. There are also kui dragon patterns, bird patterns, and fish patterns around the edges of the plate.

6. Lei wine vessel with goat-head high reliefs and knob pattern

This vessel has a tapered mouth and round shoulders. On the shoulders are goat heads in high relief, flat bird patterns in relief, and patterns of kui dragons with lowered heads. The belly of the vessel is covered with nipple patterns with linked hooks, round spiral patterns, and four-petaled flower patterns.

7. Chia Measure

Wang Mang took over the Han dynasty and started the Xin dynasty. He used the same standards as the past and had new measures created, called the "Chia liang (measures)." This Chia measure is a combination of five measures.

8. Gui food container of Lady Xian Ji

The jade mentioned in the bronze inscription was mainly used for rewards, edicts, gifts, entertaining, and sacrifices. This shows that jade was very important in ancient ceremonies.

9. Hsing Chi Shih Tsun

The phoenix bird with a long tail was a new form of decoration that became popular during the time of King Mu in the mid Western Zhou period. This type of decoration was much larger than previous forms, and its long tail was a new addition that made it stand out.

10. He wine/water vessel of Bo-ding