Other Bronze in National Palace Museum, part3

Welcome to the National Palace Museum's collection of Other Bronze artifacts from China's imperial past! Here, you can explore some of the most interesting and unique bronze artifacts from this period. We have a variety of different pieces on display here, including an Oval Liang Measure by imperial decree of 26th year, a Chia Measure, a Square Zun wine vessel of Ya-chou, a Yue battle ax with animal mask pattern and turquoise inlay, and a Mirror with Lion and Grapevine Decorations. These are all important pieces in Chinese history that tell us about how people lived during this time period. Come take a look at these fascinating artifacts today!

1. Oval Liang Measure by imperial decree of 26th year

The First Emperor of Imperial Qin annexed the other six states and established one grand empire. He standardized the written language, weights, and measures. A decree announcing the standard units was inscribed on many devices, including the liang measure in the Museum collection.

2. Chia Measure

Wang Mang established the Xin dynasty after usurping the throne from the Han dynasty. He followed the standards of the past and had the measures recast, which were known by the name "Chia liang (measures)". This Chia measure is a combination of five such measures.

3. Square Zun wine vessel of Ya-chou

Many "Yachou" vessels have been found at the Suputun site in Itu, Shandong. This has led scholars to believe that "Yachou" represents the "Poku" clan mentioned in the ancient "Zozhuan" text.

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

This axe-blade object is a weapon known as a "yue". It is mainly from the late Shang to the early Zhou dynasty. The person in battle who could use such a weapon was generally a very high-ranking military commander charged with royal authority.

5. Mirror with Lion and Grapevine Decorations

During the Tang dynasty, mirrors were often cast with foreign-inspired decorations. This mirror with lions and grape vines is an important example of such a work. The lions on this mirror are all in unique postures, with insects and birds cavorting between them and the grapevines in a beautiful and uninterrupted symmetry.