Bronze technology in the Zhou Dynasty

1. Zhou Dynast(ies)

2. • Cowrie Shell, Shang and Zhou dynasty,
16th-8th century BC

3. Zhou Sub periods
• Western Zhou (1040 BCE – 771 BCE
• Eastern Zhou
– Spring and Autumn Period (771 BCE-476
BCE)
• Confucius, 551 BCE-479 BCE
– Warring States Period (476 BCE -221 BCE)
• During this period Confucianism & Daoism are
formulated

4. Zhou accomplishments
• Earliest surviving literature
• Population increase
• Iron weapons & tools
• Rise of merchant class, markets for artistic
wares
• Chinese characters evolve
• Confucianism, Daoism
• Emperor as Son of Heaven

5. Zhou Bronzes
• Increasing technological sophistication
• New styles
• Use of lost-wax casting
• Bone Black and inlay decorations
• Ritual and social use in ‘gift economy’ –
shift from Shang era use

6. Kang Hou Gui, 11th
C BCE, Western Zhou (early)

8. • Bronze
Gui of Shi
You,
Western
Zhou
period
(1046-
771)

9. • Shi Qiang bronze vessel (pan), Middle
Western Zhou Dynasty (end of tenth
century B.C.)

10. • Final part of this inscription:
“Would that this valorous grandfather and cultured
deceased father grant favor;
and give Qiang vibrant freshness,
fortunate peace, blessed wealth,
a yellowing old age, and a prolonged life
so that he may be worthy to serve his ruler.
May he for ten thousand years eternally
treasure and use it.”

11. Gui of Xing Hou, Western Zhou (early to
middle), 1050-771 BCE

12. • Inscription inside gui

13. Inscription Translation: Precisely in the third month the king issued his
decree to Rong and the Inner Court Scribe,
announcing: 'Assist the Marquis of Xing in his [ritual] observances! I give
you three
kinds of servants: Zhou people, Dong people and Yong people.'
We [Rong and the Inner Court Scribe) cross our hands and lower our
heads to praise the son of heaven for effecting this favour and blessing,
which are able to reach and to mingle [among the spirits] above and
below. May Di, the High Ancestor, not end the mandate
for the existence of the Zhou. We will honour our deceased ancestors
and in response [to this decree] will not dare
to fail [in our misson]. We will carry our fortunate pledge and long serve
the son of heaven.
Using a record of the king's decree we made this vessel for the Duke of
Zhou.
Inscription Comment: Translation after Moore 2000

14. • Bell,
Eastern
Zhou
dynasty, late
Spring and
Autumn
period (770–
ca. 475
B.C.), early
5th century
B.C.

15. • Set of bronze bells, Zhou dynasty

16. • Chime of twenty-six bronze bells (zhong),
Middle Spring and Autumn Period (c. 550
B.C.)

17. • I, Wangsun Gao, selected my auspicious metals
and for myself made these harmonizing bells.
They are long-vibrating and sonorous, and their
fine sound is very loud. With them, sternly and in
a very dignified manner, I reverently serve the
king of Chua... Glistening are the harmonizing
bells. With them feast in order to please and
make happy the king of Chu... How blissful and
brightly joyous! For ten thousand years without
end, forever preserve and strike them.
trans. Lothar von Falkenhausen
s very loud. With them, sternly and in a very dignified manner, I reverently serve the king of Chua... Glistening are the harmonizing bells. With them feast in o

20. • Pair of covered ritual wine containers (hu), late Western Zhou dynasty
(ca. 1046–771 B.C.), late 9th–early 8th century B.C.

21. • Ritual food container
(fang yi)
• 11th-10th century B.C.
Unidentified, Chinese
Early Western Zhou
dynasty
Bronze
H: 35.3 W: 24.8 D: 23.3
cm
Luoyang, Henan province,
China

24. • Closeup of a Zhou inscribed bronze, 10th
C
BCE
The King attacked Chi-yu and then Nao-hei. When he returned he
conducted the liao sacrifice at tsung-chou and presented (to me) ten double
strings of cowries (money). In order to extoll the King’s benevolence and to
honor my worthy father, I have made this precious kuei (gui). May sons and
grandsons eternally treasure and use it

25. • Ritual food container (dui), Eastern Zhou
dynasty (771–256 B.C.), ca. 4th century B.

26. • Closeup of bone black & lacquer inlay

27. • Tomb of Marquis Yi, Western Zhou Warring
States period, 433 BCE

28. • Lacquer ware coffin with phoenix and
dragon design, Middle Warring States
Period (second half of fourth century B.C.)

29. • Outer Coffin of Marquis Yi: lacquerware

30. • Bells from Marquis Yi’s Tomb, 433 BCE

31. • Lacquerware duck from tomb of Marquis Yi

32. Bronze zun-pan vessels, Warring States Period (c. first half of fifth century
B.C.) , Tomb of Marquis Yi

35. • Pair of bronze hu from
Marquis of Yi’s tomb.
Inscribed “Marquis Yi of
Zeng commissioned
[this vessel]; may he
possess and use it for
eternity."

36. • Openwork Jade piece
(belt?) found in Tomb
ofMaquis of Yi

37. • Inscribed Bamboo Slips
from Tomb of Marquis Yi,
listing mourners present at
funeral

38. • Silk painting
featuring a
man riding a
dragon, dated
to 6th century
BCE.

39. • Detail of an
embroidered silk
gauze ritual
garment from a
4th century BC,
Zhou era tomb at
Mashan, Hubei
province, China

40. • Bronze mirror back inlaid with gold and silver from Jincun
near Luoyang, Henan province, c. 3rd century bc, Dong
(Eastern) Zhou dynasty; in the Eisei Bunko Foundation,
Tokyo.