Reinventing the Past ltilie Period Archaism and Antiquarianism in Chinese Art and Visual Culture Mtive Period

tille Period

~rine R Tsiang Edited by Wu Hung

2005

rid War 1

tappen

Korean Art

lhe Cemer for the Art of East Asia University of Chicago

Art Ivfedia Resources Chicago

Iy identify the tomh

tg hoth the deceased

case is mOfl

CStors movcd ro the

remote Chinese

cates a non-( hincsr

BlIt to all

d Hc llloved to the

on

7he ChilieSpound iitemt

1ass Hlrvard

ifldiliOli ) 1

liming in li-kalll

IsDn-Atkins Museum

ce lmcs (lhill fhi

(Cambridge Mass

weulll of hne Ans

Historv and An in

on from ihid p 1)

Ifl li stutiv or the

2(07) Pi 51 H 1 t)

tied IIIXiIIl~

ished hy the (h i Illl

mig 5icmg jli1iggll()

ng Sieheng historical

I CClHtl hbClll1l ill

--Iaven )tle Lnivcrsity

1 ARCHAISM ANTIQUARIANISM AND CHINESE

ART HISTORY

Reviving Ancient Ornament and the Presence of the

Past Examples from Shang and Zhou Bronze Vessels

Jessica Rawson

Introduction

T wo Ii vessels from the same Western Zhou (ca 1050-771 BCE) tomb

near Beijing display radically dilferen t visual qual ities -I he ornament of one

(Figure I) inscribed with the name of a well-known member of the Zhou elite

the day Bo Ju it 1)1 i is thoroughly up-to-date in the context of late eleventh to tenth

centuries BCE bronze design-decorated with striking t[otic or monster bees

sporting projecting hufFalo-like horns 1 It even has a lid decorated with similar

buffalo-horned lTeatures -I he other vessel known as the Mai Ii by ~-OlHrast

displays (faces of an earlier style of bronze decor evident in the narrow band of

miniature quills in rhe t[otic design below the lip (figure 2a) -Ihese quills oftell

appeared on bronzes of rhe early Shang dynasty (ca 1 500-ea 10)0 BCE) which

flourished centuries before the Ii vessel W~b G1SL rhus the quills in the border Oil

the Mai Ii (Figure 2b) refer back to bronzes made several hundred years earlier 2

Such revivals fIrst appeared in the late Shang period bur were especially popular

in the early Zhou On rhe basis of the inwardly curved neck below the vessel rim

the Mai Ii is datable to the early Zholl rather (han the late Shang While the two Ii

may not have been made at exactly rhe same rime they were probably made within

fifty years of each other

-These Ii demonstrare the power of ornament to transform to change simple trishy

lobed comainers into distinctive ritual vessels with very different aesthetic effects

The bold projecting bulllio horns on the Bo Ju Ii express confident awareness of

contemporary bronzes and reffect (he patrons employment of craftsmen who had

r R Ie [ Ie T [ C THE r AS T

Ii~llie I 1 III 1 IlL 11middot1

em l[LI11 WLl I1lTiOd

IIhmiddotIOh eel1([(( Ilel

(lJJ(lt iroll] IOlllh

12-) I JL [ iulil I ltlllglull

I1L1I I-kijillg -rOlll lll II

lhuhJllll (d f01gflII0

JI (1g(1l( 1111 1 lkl~ [ion o(hillll I-holll-]

(l-kiiing lIllllhuhl1hc

ll)-hl l() 2()

l11astered what were ar rhe ril11e rhe l110sr advanced principles of design the mher

ve~sel acknowledges the cominuing f)Over and value of archaic decorarion frol11 an

era wirh which rhe parron mav have wished [() be associared

During rhe Shang and Zhou periods (ca 1 O)O-2)C) BeE) broll1e vessels were

used by kings and powerfLd dans in sers of wine and food conrainers to make rirual

offerings [() unseen ancestors who were nourished lw this sustenance Honored

and commemorared rhrough rhe use of rhese precious vessels ancestral spirirs

were rhoughr [() confer bleings on rheir descendatHs ar rhe sal11e ril11e the use

of rhe vessels displayed [0 rhe living rhe power and wealrh of rheir owners I jhe

bronzes were dramaric presences on alrars and were major componenrs of rirual

performances j he number of vessels owned h a noble of rhe larer Shang or Zhou

period numbered abour 20 to 40 pieces as we shall see below Rarel would all

of these have been of exacry rhe same dare or dad wirh dosely relared decorarion

4H

Figur

186

perio

BCE

M25

near

shi w

Liulil

mudi

Wen

color

~url I 1IIl1 Ii II 10

L Xltnn IIHlU period

thmiddot](lth clI1T 1(1

(ltcd from J()mh

2~ I at Liulil 1ltII112h1I1

Ir Helling Jrolll X1IlWil

hamhl cd

qillgtfJigqi Yllilll If -lk~

n Ilf(hincl Br01Ul

_ijill lllll LiHthtllhl 7() no 2(1

sign the other

ration from an

ze vessels were

to make ritual

lI1Ct Honored

tlcestral spirits

time the use

owners I he

nent of ri tual

hang or Zhou

lrely would all

ed decoration

REVIVIN( ANCIENT ORIET AD THE PRESENCE OF THE PAST

rigUT 21 -bi Ii 1H() un Xcrn Zilol

fgtltriod II [hIO[h (ctun

flUc hGtva[ld hOIll I JIltgt

1211 at liliile itnlhlIl

ncar BLijing Irom Bdjil1g

shi VlIlWtl yil1jiil-Utl

Liuile Xj fJ1t II5I(

JJlI(j fY-3-Y- l-kijillg

XlTilIlhHh~1t1 hl 1 q)=)

wlo[ 11 2~

But regardless of date or decor the differences and similarities between them

were significant

lhe decorative differences must have been recognized bur did members

of Shang and Zhou elite bmilies recognize that pieces carried associations with

the past Are rderences to the past within the decor of bronzes a special t(Jrll1 of

ritual or ideological communication [ hese arc some of the many questions that

this conjunction or juxtapositioll o~ two bronzes poses I shall respond to these

questions through an exalllinarion of the luture of bronze onument that allowed

viewers of the pas and allows us toda) to sense the correlation between ornament

and its use at particular times and places Bronze ornament was the product of a

readily inrelligible system which depended on replication of design demen ts

from one generation to the next JOt onlv were motifs repeated on different vessels

of the same period bur as here designs from an earlier period could be recreated on

RE[-JVE-IT-JG THE PAST

Fipll 2h Rubhi1S of the dC(Oralioll on the lai Ii

later pieces Replication of past designs was a f()[ll ofcultural reproducrion through

which the patrons and owners of vessels allowed ideas about themselves and their

relations to past traditions to rake a visual form In one sense such reproduction

depended Oil conrinuiry but by owning and llsing vessels thar called to mind more

remote eras tbe patrons also reacbed back beyond the immediate past in order to

associate themselves with earlier generations and their deeds

Ihe two Western Zhou Ii vessels further draw attenrion to the privileged role of

rima vessels in tbe phenomenon of archaism in Chinese visual culture known as

illlgru flj i II or imitating the past Ihe vessels show that self-conscious eft()rrs to

recreau ancienr f(ml1S and decor began in China at a very early date We know well

the revivals in paiming calligraphy and other tmdia from the Song (960-1279)

to the Qi ng (1644-]91 ]) periods and I have elsewhere discllssed archaism in

bronzes of the 9th-7th centuries Be E as well as other forms of revival ()ne of the

purposes of this paper is to add another chronological layer to our understanding of

an early srage in the history ofjfmgfJJI It is a stage that is rarely irever considered

perhaps because obsession with individual motifs most especially rhe t(wtif has

polarized schobrly views and dcHecred attention aW1Y iiom lrchaism evidenr in a

close study of variation ill bronze decor

Sets Ornament and the Ornament System In any culture revivals of forms and decoration of past arreElCts and buildings

depend upon the ability of viewers to recognize these references Recognition must

distinguish past from presenr and revival from contemporary flshion Perception of

difFerence is essenrial If people of later generations cannot ideJ1[it allllsions to the

past through linguistic or visual rderences they cannot manipulate such references

[0 achieve social or ideological goals

One means of distinguishing contemporary design from revivals depends Oil

our ability to recognize combinations of f()ffTI and decoration specific to certain

)()

~--zmiddotmiddotmiddot(

J - ~ --I ~

lucrion through

nselves and their

ch reproduccion

~d [0 mind more

past in order ro

privileged role of

Jlture known as

lscious df()f(s to

e We know well

ong (O-1279)

sed archaism in

iva One of the

Jllderstanding of

ever considered

Iy tbe ramie has

lism evident in a

n

rs and buildings

ecognirion mllst

)n Perception of

y allusions to the

e such references

vals depends on

)ecihc [0 certain

REV I V I -r C Ai C I Ic-r TOR -r 1 E -r T -r l) T H F PRE S Ie C F 0 I T H l I AS T

particular periods is a skill widely distributed and widely exploited in many

cultures To understand more full what was achieved lw the Shang and Zbou

revivals I shall consider the systems of design that were employed to embellish

ritual bronzes f()r tbe motifs and their organization t()llowed patterns that allowed

and still allow viewers to calibrate them againsr rimc and place

An ornament system is tltlllllded upon rhe lise of cOllSticuent visual elements

or parrs thar an combined 1Ccording (0 certain rules OWl time rhe numbers of

the pans and modes in which thcy arc execlHed nLry change and the ruks

may be modified Nonerheless it remains possible ro trace borh rhe constituent

elements and the underlying rules of ornament systems ovn long pniods of time

Within highly ordered sysnll1s and their evolutionary trends over rime changes of

direction so ro ~leak with earlier designs inserted ar a later poinL show up rarher

dearly Among the most Ellniliar of sllch s~tems is that of Western architec(Ure

with revivals occlIrri ng ar sevlral stages over cwo m i Ilenn ia

111e decoration ofrhe Chinese hronzes tlt)JIllS another elegant ornamellt system-

To analyze sllch systems w need to recofnize that this ornamenr was inseparable

from the three-dimensional objects 011 which it appeared and cannot lx considered

in terms of individuall110tifs on Hat slIrtrces Boob that simpl reproduce bronze

decor in the tltlrI11 of rubbings and drawings suggesting visually [hat ornament

was organized on a Har surbce distorr its essential cluracceL lhe bllHr1o EilTS

on (he BOlll Ii gain dramatic emphasis as they both t()llow and stand awry from

[he rounded lobes and rise lip from [he Hat lid (Figure J) Jhe narrow hordLT of

EKe and quills on the Mai Ii (Figure 2) is matched with rhe slllooth rounded hody

of the second piece FurrhLT both vessels belonged to rhe same individual and

were prohrbly to be lIsld (Ofether and viewed simultaneously In conscquence the

ornament of a particular piece must be understood as one unit within a larger

set One of rhe principal rules or constraints on rhL ortlllllenr svstem was the

dependence of the rimrl on designated categories of vessels Ornamenr had to fit

these given vessel types and the several VCSSl I types were inevitably seen rogcther

when used sinlltlt1l1eouslv

These bronzes were casr III ceramic piecc molds whose divisions frequently

provided venlcal framing devices tltJr some motifs or Llivided orhers symmetrically

Horizolltal divisions ltlned as another flan ot- the organization of the vessel SUrE1Cc 1o

~rhus on the Bo Ju Ii vertical divisions between the molds gave rise to linls cutting

the btlfEllo heads symnwtricallv down lobes whi Ie horizonral bands were created

to display dragons around [he Illck 111ese divisions organizing the motifs llong

with the given vessel shapes and combinations of shapes in sets f(mllcd the ruks

11

---~--~-------~----------~--- _-shy

REl~F-TI~C THE PAST

(hat underpinned the ornament system The motifs that at different chronological

points were organized by these rules fl)[I11ed the parts Other parrs included

Ranges and three-dimensional heads 011 lids shoulders and handles On the two Ii

vessels we see ver~ different component parts applied although the rules flJr the

use of the vessel shape and for the vertical and horizontal divisions are the same

for both Tvo cultural practices ensured continued llse and development of the

ornament system the ritual offerings to the ancestors and the craft traditiolJS of the

ceramic mold-making technolog which underpinned the production of bronze

vessels in China

In the Shang and Zhou periods the ltletllalmotifs or parts to which these rules

were applied underwent two or three major changes as we shall note helow To

understand the sources of rhe decoration of a band with quills on the Ii in figure

2 we have to go back to the bronzes of the early Shang c11 lOO-1500 BCE I he

decor of ShlI1g brol1es can be divided imo two main chronological stages Ihe

first stage is typical of the pre- and earlv-Anyang periods LIming which the parts

consisted of SGolls and quill parrerns orglI1ized around eves to suggest the bces of

creatures (sometimes called Loehr Styles 1- I11) [ he second stage is that of the

main Anyang period (ca 1500-10)0 BCF) whel1 more legible t(wtie moritS with

clelrly defined eyes cars horns and bodies often combined with dragon or birdshy

like creatures (known as Loehr Styles [V-V) were current Ihe major diHerence

between the two stages lies in the treatment of the background of ltll1gular spirals

known as eizuili against which zool1lorphic creatllres cOllld be perceived

Decor coml11only lIsed flH vessels of rhe carly estern Zholl was similar to

that of the second phase of ShlI1g bronze prodllcriol1 he Bo III Ii belongs to

this second phase Viewed by sOl11eone aware of this contrlst hetween the earlier

lnd the later srages the other Western Zholl Ii vessel decorated with a plain band

arollnd the neck would have looked old-tlshiol1eLl and would have been perceived

as a revival or evocation of the earlier l110de of decoration nor as a deployment of

current Elshion However while we consider such revivals as examples of an inrerest

in the past to the pcopk of the Zholl period they may have signalled a rd(rence

rather to an earlier generation In other words the differences in decorative mode

might have been viewed in terms of Ell11ih historv rather than in terms of a known

lnd recorded rime

Rdevltlnr to other types of revival whicb will be discussed only brieRy arc the

later changes in bronze design and function that occurred in the middk to late

Western Zh()U 1 his radical trallsformation of decor took the f(HI11 of repetitive

and geometric rendering of zoomorpbic motifs hom the sixth cenrurv BeE

analogical

included

the (WO Ii

lIes for the

the same

em of the

ions of the

of bronze

these rules

below J()

j in Figure

BeE Illl

[ages I hl

h the pans

he bees of

that of the

lOtifs with

on or birdshy

difFerlnce

lIar spirals

Tceivnl

similar [()

belongs to

the larlilr

plain band

1 percliYed

loymllH of

an inrlrlst

a rderence

Hive mode

)fl known

fly are the

die to late

f repetitive

rury BeE

REVIVIlG A~CIE~T OR~lEgtT A[) THE IRESFCE Of THE PAST

onwards interlace and inla) provided the characteristics of rhe last phase of Zhou

bronze decor Bur despite these quire major changes in parts of the ornamenraJ

system vessels continued [0 be cast in piece molds and used in sets lhus the

ways in which the ornament was organized and deployed across seveul vessels Llsld

togedler followed rhe underlying rules typical of much earlier periods

I have chosen to emphasize the undlrl)ing ortlament sslcm in ordlr to makl

clear the framework of design within which revivals could be difFlrcnriated from

vessels in a more conremporarv mode tor only if that difFerentiation was possible

could allusions and associations be linked with the difFenm pilcls We see here a

powerful example of Ddellzes emphasis on difference and ITpetition1 i It is indeld

possible to argue that variations in ornamlnt within a given )stem bcilitatld a

series of signals in slmiotic terms Ornal1llllt wa a very powerfttl instrtll11lllt

by which information could be exchanged bltwlcn n1ll11bns of elite bmilies In

previolls writings two rarhlr ditterent approaches have been taken on the one

hand ornaJ11lnt has been regarded as a mann of lt1esti1ltic etteu on till othn it has

been treated having some sort of iconic or iconographic meaning

Wherl ornament has IWln valued f(lr its aesthetic qualitils the word stvle

is frllJulnrly lkplmlJ 1 1 h~lT so br avoided this tlrln bur it can lX lIsed to

distinguish several c1oscl rcluld versions of an ornamental tradition over a limited

period of titnt Ihm the Bo Ju Ii (Figurl 1) can be described as carrying ornament

in an llriy Zhou styk by which I I11lan that it is a Zhou-pniod varial][ of the

ue Shang phsl of the ornaI11lnt sstem Jhl Mai Ii (Figure ) can bl lkscribed

as a Zhou-stylc rnival of rhe early Shang stagls of the systcm But a discussion

of ornament as stvle llonl docs not enable LIS to rlad the pmsible associations

thaI thlsl bronzes cOIleVld when emplmed in tillir original COl1tlxts for has an

iconographic approach proved sLlccessftd ill lllvcloping such a projlct Attllllpts

to identif) particular Illotif~ as carrying splcihc relerellcls to crearures or deitils

described olltside the realm of bronzl design haT nor provld fiuitful and not

only blGlllSe there arl no satisElctory altlrnative SOllfClS from which to dcriw

evidence of such deities I he principal probkm is tll~lf an iconographic approach

overlooks thl value of thl ari~l[iollS of a single motif as pan of a system of design

to carry associations I 1hus some motifs ll1av have had a meaning in till sensl of

referring to particular UTltltllrlS living and imaginary But to tah this point of

view does nothing to explain thl very largl IlllJllblr of variations of dragollS or

frontal EKes known as tlotil To advance this aspect of the discussion I will now

consider some of the ways in which ritual bronzes might have convlyld meanings

or rather associuions

r RFIFT1C THE PAST

Materiality and Meaning Ir is evident from the primary function of the bronze vessels that they were important

sites of commLllliClrion Xlhen used ro offer wine and food to rhe ancestors the

bronzes mediated between the living and the unseen spirits In terms of Alfred

Cdls work the vessels were agcnts acting upon tO separatcd consdruencics and

thndw putting them in cOl11mullication with one another lhe poems of rhe Sb

i (Book SOllgl) providc thc most accessihle evidence that the scem of

food and wine held in thc n~ssels a onc Illcans to arrract ancestral spirits that is

m communicate with thelllCi Another f(lllll ofconract was established through the

words cast in the brollzcs Long inscriptions primarilY in or on early Zhou bronzes

wcn addresscd ro the anccstors and to furun descendcnts BricL earlier inscriptions

that recorded clan and regional affiliations also lXpressed the position of rhe sers of

vcssels wirhin a network of ancestors lI1d dcsccndalHs

Jhc bronzes buricd irh fu Han ( rhe consort of rhe Shang King Vu Dillg

(ca 120() BeE) pnlide a good cxample of a Sl( of es~e1s en 11llshed hy their

inscriprions in a complL socilry I he imcriprions include hI Haos name in life

alld her ritual naille after dearh nalllcs of orher Illcmhers of her lineagc nalllcs

of officials associarLli wirh the Slung culr ritual and names of oflici1ls associnLli

with regiolls olltsiJe Allang Such records signalled Fu Haos positioll lI1d

lhar of lin widn tlmik in both soci~tl and ritual rcbtiomhips Alongside or ill

place of rhL i nscri priol1s signa II ing thcsc rei ationsh ips thc vessels thu11Sclves~rhei r

shllXs their sizes and rhcir decoration-arc likely to have been intcgral parrs of

the l11essagc also

Visual displays of the vessels reStlllg UpOI1 an alrar and in movement during

highk choreographed sequences of 1eriollS In rituals would have attracted

attention and cOI1evlll tU Haos staws to the [hing and the dead It is rathn

han1I however imply [(l view all eXlcptionlll hnclv made and~lers as redolcm

of stalllS 1I1d power A l1lorc nuanccd approach is llcclkd to reflect the numcrous

ingenious I11ClllS Iw which people construct thcir ellironll1enrs ro rcalize in highlv

specihc was their idemiries and roles rliari [0 ochers in their societies A growing

theoretical approach thL stud of materiality has sought to give emphasis to rhe

material disrinLthcness of differenr cultures and their specihc practices In rhis

disc()m~e the phsic~ll esistenu of a ork of lrr or 111 arrd1Ct is recognized 1S

an activc componenr in thc cOllstruction and rransmission of rhe culwral lire of

a group of people who emplO rhese artefaCts in their social and religious lives

Such arguments h~1e been put forward by Daniel Miller L)nn Meskell and Tim

Ihm I who used the term 11lltcrialit to embrace the physical and cognlflvc

[

B

re

he

pI

fo

wi

wi

oil

be

th

bo

the

inl

1h

we

ide

bn

Cal

in

Iy identify the tomh

tg hoth the deceased

case is mOfl

CStors movcd ro the

remote Chinese

cates a non-( hincsr

BlIt to all

d Hc llloved to the

on

7he ChilieSpound iitemt

1ass Hlrvard

ifldiliOli ) 1

liming in li-kalll

IsDn-Atkins Museum

ce lmcs (lhill fhi

(Cambridge Mass

weulll of hne Ans

Historv and An in

on from ihid p 1)

Ifl li stutiv or the

2(07) Pi 51 H 1 t)

tied IIIXiIIl~

ished hy the (h i Illl

mig 5icmg jli1iggll()

ng Sieheng historical

I CClHtl hbClll1l ill

--Iaven )tle Lnivcrsity

1 ARCHAISM ANTIQUARIANISM AND CHINESE

ART HISTORY

Reviving Ancient Ornament and the Presence of the

Past Examples from Shang and Zhou Bronze Vessels

Jessica Rawson

Introduction

T wo Ii vessels from the same Western Zhou (ca 1050-771 BCE) tomb

near Beijing display radically dilferen t visual qual ities -I he ornament of one

(Figure I) inscribed with the name of a well-known member of the Zhou elite

the day Bo Ju it 1)1 i is thoroughly up-to-date in the context of late eleventh to tenth

centuries BCE bronze design-decorated with striking t[otic or monster bees

sporting projecting hufFalo-like horns 1 It even has a lid decorated with similar

buffalo-horned lTeatures -I he other vessel known as the Mai Ii by ~-OlHrast

displays (faces of an earlier style of bronze decor evident in the narrow band of

miniature quills in rhe t[otic design below the lip (figure 2a) -Ihese quills oftell

appeared on bronzes of rhe early Shang dynasty (ca 1 500-ea 10)0 BCE) which

flourished centuries before the Ii vessel W~b G1SL rhus the quills in the border Oil

the Mai Ii (Figure 2b) refer back to bronzes made several hundred years earlier 2

Such revivals fIrst appeared in the late Shang period bur were especially popular

in the early Zhou On rhe basis of the inwardly curved neck below the vessel rim

the Mai Ii is datable to the early Zholl rather (han the late Shang While the two Ii

may not have been made at exactly rhe same rime they were probably made within

fifty years of each other

-These Ii demonstrare the power of ornament to transform to change simple trishy

lobed comainers into distinctive ritual vessels with very different aesthetic effects

The bold projecting bulllio horns on the Bo Ju Ii express confident awareness of

contemporary bronzes and reffect (he patrons employment of craftsmen who had

r R Ie [ Ie T [ C THE r AS T

Ii~llie I 1 III 1 IlL 11middot1

em l[LI11 WLl I1lTiOd

IIhmiddotIOh eel1([(( Ilel

(lJJ(lt iroll] IOlllh

12-) I JL [ iulil I ltlllglull

I1L1I I-kijillg -rOlll lll II

lhuhJllll (d f01gflII0

JI (1g(1l( 1111 1 lkl~ [ion o(hillll I-holll-]

(l-kiiing lIllllhuhl1hc

ll)-hl l() 2()

l11astered what were ar rhe ril11e rhe l110sr advanced principles of design the mher

ve~sel acknowledges the cominuing f)Over and value of archaic decorarion frol11 an

era wirh which rhe parron mav have wished [() be associared

During rhe Shang and Zhou periods (ca 1 O)O-2)C) BeE) broll1e vessels were

used by kings and powerfLd dans in sers of wine and food conrainers to make rirual

offerings [() unseen ancestors who were nourished lw this sustenance Honored

and commemorared rhrough rhe use of rhese precious vessels ancestral spirirs

were rhoughr [() confer bleings on rheir descendatHs ar rhe sal11e ril11e the use

of rhe vessels displayed [0 rhe living rhe power and wealrh of rheir owners I jhe

bronzes were dramaric presences on alrars and were major componenrs of rirual

performances j he number of vessels owned h a noble of rhe larer Shang or Zhou

period numbered abour 20 to 40 pieces as we shall see below Rarel would all

of these have been of exacry rhe same dare or dad wirh dosely relared decorarion

4H

Figur

186

perio

BCE

M25

near

shi w

Liulil

mudi

Wen

color

~url I 1IIl1 Ii II 10

L Xltnn IIHlU period

thmiddot](lth clI1T 1(1

(ltcd from J()mh

2~ I at Liulil 1ltII112h1I1

Ir Helling Jrolll X1IlWil

hamhl cd

qillgtfJigqi Yllilll If -lk~

n Ilf(hincl Br01Ul

_ijill lllll LiHthtllhl 7() no 2(1

sign the other

ration from an

ze vessels were

to make ritual

lI1Ct Honored

tlcestral spirits

time the use

owners I he

nent of ri tual

hang or Zhou

lrely would all

ed decoration

REVIVIN( ANCIENT ORIET AD THE PRESENCE OF THE PAST

rigUT 21 -bi Ii 1H() un Xcrn Zilol

fgtltriod II [hIO[h (ctun

flUc hGtva[ld hOIll I JIltgt

1211 at liliile itnlhlIl

ncar BLijing Irom Bdjil1g

shi VlIlWtl yil1jiil-Utl

Liuile Xj fJ1t II5I(

JJlI(j fY-3-Y- l-kijillg

XlTilIlhHh~1t1 hl 1 q)=)

wlo[ 11 2~

But regardless of date or decor the differences and similarities between them

were significant

lhe decorative differences must have been recognized bur did members

of Shang and Zhou elite bmilies recognize that pieces carried associations with

the past Are rderences to the past within the decor of bronzes a special t(Jrll1 of

ritual or ideological communication [ hese arc some of the many questions that

this conjunction or juxtapositioll o~ two bronzes poses I shall respond to these

questions through an exalllinarion of the luture of bronze onument that allowed

viewers of the pas and allows us toda) to sense the correlation between ornament

and its use at particular times and places Bronze ornament was the product of a

readily inrelligible system which depended on replication of design demen ts

from one generation to the next JOt onlv were motifs repeated on different vessels

of the same period bur as here designs from an earlier period could be recreated on

RE[-JVE-IT-JG THE PAST

Fipll 2h Rubhi1S of the dC(Oralioll on the lai Ii

later pieces Replication of past designs was a f()[ll ofcultural reproducrion through

which the patrons and owners of vessels allowed ideas about themselves and their

relations to past traditions to rake a visual form In one sense such reproduction

depended Oil conrinuiry but by owning and llsing vessels thar called to mind more

remote eras tbe patrons also reacbed back beyond the immediate past in order to

associate themselves with earlier generations and their deeds

Ihe two Western Zhou Ii vessels further draw attenrion to the privileged role of

rima vessels in tbe phenomenon of archaism in Chinese visual culture known as

illlgru flj i II or imitating the past Ihe vessels show that self-conscious eft()rrs to

recreau ancienr f(ml1S and decor began in China at a very early date We know well

the revivals in paiming calligraphy and other tmdia from the Song (960-1279)

to the Qi ng (1644-]91 ]) periods and I have elsewhere discllssed archaism in

bronzes of the 9th-7th centuries Be E as well as other forms of revival ()ne of the

purposes of this paper is to add another chronological layer to our understanding of

an early srage in the history ofjfmgfJJI It is a stage that is rarely irever considered

perhaps because obsession with individual motifs most especially rhe t(wtif has

polarized schobrly views and dcHecred attention aW1Y iiom lrchaism evidenr in a

close study of variation ill bronze decor

Sets Ornament and the Ornament System In any culture revivals of forms and decoration of past arreElCts and buildings

depend upon the ability of viewers to recognize these references Recognition must

distinguish past from presenr and revival from contemporary flshion Perception of

difFerence is essenrial If people of later generations cannot ideJ1[it allllsions to the

past through linguistic or visual rderences they cannot manipulate such references

[0 achieve social or ideological goals

One means of distinguishing contemporary design from revivals depends Oil

our ability to recognize combinations of f()ffTI and decoration specific to certain

)()

~--zmiddotmiddotmiddot(

J - ~ --I ~

lucrion through

nselves and their

ch reproduccion

~d [0 mind more

past in order ro

privileged role of

Jlture known as

lscious df()f(s to

e We know well

ong (O-1279)

sed archaism in

iva One of the

Jllderstanding of

ever considered

Iy tbe ramie has

lism evident in a

n

rs and buildings

ecognirion mllst

)n Perception of

y allusions to the

e such references

vals depends on

)ecihc [0 certain

REV I V I -r C Ai C I Ic-r TOR -r 1 E -r T -r l) T H F PRE S Ie C F 0 I T H l I AS T

particular periods is a skill widely distributed and widely exploited in many

cultures To understand more full what was achieved lw the Shang and Zbou

revivals I shall consider the systems of design that were employed to embellish

ritual bronzes f()r tbe motifs and their organization t()llowed patterns that allowed

and still allow viewers to calibrate them againsr rimc and place

An ornament system is tltlllllded upon rhe lise of cOllSticuent visual elements

or parrs thar an combined 1Ccording (0 certain rules OWl time rhe numbers of

the pans and modes in which thcy arc execlHed nLry change and the ruks

may be modified Nonerheless it remains possible ro trace borh rhe constituent

elements and the underlying rules of ornament systems ovn long pniods of time

Within highly ordered sysnll1s and their evolutionary trends over rime changes of

direction so ro ~leak with earlier designs inserted ar a later poinL show up rarher

dearly Among the most Ellniliar of sllch s~tems is that of Western architec(Ure

with revivals occlIrri ng ar sevlral stages over cwo m i Ilenn ia

111e decoration ofrhe Chinese hronzes tlt)JIllS another elegant ornamellt system-

To analyze sllch systems w need to recofnize that this ornamenr was inseparable

from the three-dimensional objects 011 which it appeared and cannot lx considered

in terms of individuall110tifs on Hat slIrtrces Boob that simpl reproduce bronze

decor in the tltlrI11 of rubbings and drawings suggesting visually [hat ornament

was organized on a Har surbce distorr its essential cluracceL lhe bllHr1o EilTS

on (he BOlll Ii gain dramatic emphasis as they both t()llow and stand awry from

[he rounded lobes and rise lip from [he Hat lid (Figure J) Jhe narrow hordLT of

EKe and quills on the Mai Ii (Figure 2) is matched with rhe slllooth rounded hody

of the second piece FurrhLT both vessels belonged to rhe same individual and

were prohrbly to be lIsld (Ofether and viewed simultaneously In conscquence the

ornament of a particular piece must be understood as one unit within a larger

set One of rhe principal rules or constraints on rhL ortlllllenr svstem was the

dependence of the rimrl on designated categories of vessels Ornamenr had to fit

these given vessel types and the several VCSSl I types were inevitably seen rogcther

when used sinlltlt1l1eouslv

These bronzes were casr III ceramic piecc molds whose divisions frequently

provided venlcal framing devices tltJr some motifs or Llivided orhers symmetrically

Horizolltal divisions ltlned as another flan ot- the organization of the vessel SUrE1Cc 1o

~rhus on the Bo Ju Ii vertical divisions between the molds gave rise to linls cutting

the btlfEllo heads symnwtricallv down lobes whi Ie horizonral bands were created

to display dragons around [he Illck 111ese divisions organizing the motifs llong

with the given vessel shapes and combinations of shapes in sets f(mllcd the ruks

11

---~--~-------~----------~--- _-shy

REl~F-TI~C THE PAST

(hat underpinned the ornament system The motifs that at different chronological

points were organized by these rules fl)[I11ed the parts Other parrs included

Ranges and three-dimensional heads 011 lids shoulders and handles On the two Ii

vessels we see ver~ different component parts applied although the rules flJr the

use of the vessel shape and for the vertical and horizontal divisions are the same

for both Tvo cultural practices ensured continued llse and development of the

ornament system the ritual offerings to the ancestors and the craft traditiolJS of the

ceramic mold-making technolog which underpinned the production of bronze

vessels in China

In the Shang and Zhou periods the ltletllalmotifs or parts to which these rules

were applied underwent two or three major changes as we shall note helow To

understand the sources of rhe decoration of a band with quills on the Ii in figure

2 we have to go back to the bronzes of the early Shang c11 lOO-1500 BCE I he

decor of ShlI1g brol1es can be divided imo two main chronological stages Ihe

first stage is typical of the pre- and earlv-Anyang periods LIming which the parts

consisted of SGolls and quill parrerns orglI1ized around eves to suggest the bces of

creatures (sometimes called Loehr Styles 1- I11) [ he second stage is that of the

main Anyang period (ca 1500-10)0 BCF) whel1 more legible t(wtie moritS with

clelrly defined eyes cars horns and bodies often combined with dragon or birdshy

like creatures (known as Loehr Styles [V-V) were current Ihe major diHerence

between the two stages lies in the treatment of the background of ltll1gular spirals

known as eizuili against which zool1lorphic creatllres cOllld be perceived

Decor coml11only lIsed flH vessels of rhe carly estern Zholl was similar to

that of the second phase of ShlI1g bronze prodllcriol1 he Bo III Ii belongs to

this second phase Viewed by sOl11eone aware of this contrlst hetween the earlier

lnd the later srages the other Western Zholl Ii vessel decorated with a plain band

arollnd the neck would have looked old-tlshiol1eLl and would have been perceived

as a revival or evocation of the earlier l110de of decoration nor as a deployment of

current Elshion However while we consider such revivals as examples of an inrerest

in the past to the pcopk of the Zholl period they may have signalled a rd(rence

rather to an earlier generation In other words the differences in decorative mode

might have been viewed in terms of Ell11ih historv rather than in terms of a known

lnd recorded rime

Rdevltlnr to other types of revival whicb will be discussed only brieRy arc the

later changes in bronze design and function that occurred in the middk to late

Western Zh()U 1 his radical trallsformation of decor took the f(HI11 of repetitive

and geometric rendering of zoomorpbic motifs hom the sixth cenrurv BeE

analogical

included

the (WO Ii

lIes for the

the same

em of the

ions of the

of bronze

these rules

below J()

j in Figure

BeE Illl

[ages I hl

h the pans

he bees of

that of the

lOtifs with

on or birdshy

difFerlnce

lIar spirals

Tceivnl

similar [()

belongs to

the larlilr

plain band

1 percliYed

loymllH of

an inrlrlst

a rderence

Hive mode

)fl known

fly are the

die to late

f repetitive

rury BeE

REVIVIlG A~CIE~T OR~lEgtT A[) THE IRESFCE Of THE PAST

onwards interlace and inla) provided the characteristics of rhe last phase of Zhou

bronze decor Bur despite these quire major changes in parts of the ornamenraJ

system vessels continued [0 be cast in piece molds and used in sets lhus the

ways in which the ornament was organized and deployed across seveul vessels Llsld

togedler followed rhe underlying rules typical of much earlier periods

I have chosen to emphasize the undlrl)ing ortlament sslcm in ordlr to makl

clear the framework of design within which revivals could be difFlrcnriated from

vessels in a more conremporarv mode tor only if that difFerentiation was possible

could allusions and associations be linked with the difFenm pilcls We see here a

powerful example of Ddellzes emphasis on difference and ITpetition1 i It is indeld

possible to argue that variations in ornamlnt within a given )stem bcilitatld a

series of signals in slmiotic terms Ornal1llllt wa a very powerfttl instrtll11lllt

by which information could be exchanged bltwlcn n1ll11bns of elite bmilies In

previolls writings two rarhlr ditterent approaches have been taken on the one

hand ornaJ11lnt has been regarded as a mann of lt1esti1ltic etteu on till othn it has

been treated having some sort of iconic or iconographic meaning

Wherl ornament has IWln valued f(lr its aesthetic qualitils the word stvle

is frllJulnrly lkplmlJ 1 1 h~lT so br avoided this tlrln bur it can lX lIsed to

distinguish several c1oscl rcluld versions of an ornamental tradition over a limited

period of titnt Ihm the Bo Ju Ii (Figurl 1) can be described as carrying ornament

in an llriy Zhou styk by which I I11lan that it is a Zhou-pniod varial][ of the

ue Shang phsl of the ornaI11lnt sstem Jhl Mai Ii (Figure ) can bl lkscribed

as a Zhou-stylc rnival of rhe early Shang stagls of the systcm But a discussion

of ornament as stvle llonl docs not enable LIS to rlad the pmsible associations

thaI thlsl bronzes cOIleVld when emplmed in tillir original COl1tlxts for has an

iconographic approach proved sLlccessftd ill lllvcloping such a projlct Attllllpts

to identif) particular Illotif~ as carrying splcihc relerellcls to crearures or deitils

described olltside the realm of bronzl design haT nor provld fiuitful and not

only blGlllSe there arl no satisElctory altlrnative SOllfClS from which to dcriw

evidence of such deities I he principal probkm is tll~lf an iconographic approach

overlooks thl value of thl ari~l[iollS of a single motif as pan of a system of design

to carry associations I 1hus some motifs ll1av have had a meaning in till sensl of

referring to particular UTltltllrlS living and imaginary But to tah this point of

view does nothing to explain thl very largl IlllJllblr of variations of dragollS or

frontal EKes known as tlotil To advance this aspect of the discussion I will now

consider some of the ways in which ritual bronzes might have convlyld meanings

or rather associuions

r RFIFT1C THE PAST

Materiality and Meaning Ir is evident from the primary function of the bronze vessels that they were important

sites of commLllliClrion Xlhen used ro offer wine and food to rhe ancestors the

bronzes mediated between the living and the unseen spirits In terms of Alfred

Cdls work the vessels were agcnts acting upon tO separatcd consdruencics and

thndw putting them in cOl11mullication with one another lhe poems of rhe Sb

i (Book SOllgl) providc thc most accessihle evidence that the scem of

food and wine held in thc n~ssels a onc Illcans to arrract ancestral spirits that is

m communicate with thelllCi Another f(lllll ofconract was established through the

words cast in the brollzcs Long inscriptions primarilY in or on early Zhou bronzes

wcn addresscd ro the anccstors and to furun descendcnts BricL earlier inscriptions

that recorded clan and regional affiliations also lXpressed the position of rhe sers of

vcssels wirhin a network of ancestors lI1d dcsccndalHs

Jhc bronzes buricd irh fu Han ( rhe consort of rhe Shang King Vu Dillg

(ca 120() BeE) pnlide a good cxample of a Sl( of es~e1s en 11llshed hy their

inscriprions in a complL socilry I he imcriprions include hI Haos name in life

alld her ritual naille after dearh nalllcs of orher Illcmhers of her lineagc nalllcs

of officials associarLli wirh the Slung culr ritual and names of oflici1ls associnLli

with regiolls olltsiJe Allang Such records signalled Fu Haos positioll lI1d

lhar of lin widn tlmik in both soci~tl and ritual rcbtiomhips Alongside or ill

place of rhL i nscri priol1s signa II ing thcsc rei ationsh ips thc vessels thu11Sclves~rhei r

shllXs their sizes and rhcir decoration-arc likely to have been intcgral parrs of

the l11essagc also

Visual displays of the vessels reStlllg UpOI1 an alrar and in movement during

highk choreographed sequences of 1eriollS In rituals would have attracted

attention and cOI1evlll tU Haos staws to the [hing and the dead It is rathn

han1I however imply [(l view all eXlcptionlll hnclv made and~lers as redolcm

of stalllS 1I1d power A l1lorc nuanccd approach is llcclkd to reflect the numcrous

ingenious I11ClllS Iw which people construct thcir ellironll1enrs ro rcalize in highlv

specihc was their idemiries and roles rliari [0 ochers in their societies A growing

theoretical approach thL stud of materiality has sought to give emphasis to rhe

material disrinLthcness of differenr cultures and their specihc practices In rhis

disc()m~e the phsic~ll esistenu of a ork of lrr or 111 arrd1Ct is recognized 1S

an activc componenr in thc cOllstruction and rransmission of rhe culwral lire of

a group of people who emplO rhese artefaCts in their social and religious lives

Such arguments h~1e been put forward by Daniel Miller L)nn Meskell and Tim

Ihm I who used the term 11lltcrialit to embrace the physical and cognlflvc

[

B

re

he

pI

fo

wi

wi

oil

be

th

bo

the

inl

1h

we

ide

bn

Cal

in

r R Ie [ Ie T [ C THE r AS T

Ii~llie I 1 III 1 IlL 11middot1

em l[LI11 WLl I1lTiOd

IIhmiddotIOh eel1([(( Ilel

(lJJ(lt iroll] IOlllh

12-) I JL [ iulil I ltlllglull

I1L1I I-kijillg -rOlll lll II

lhuhJllll (d f01gflII0

JI (1g(1l( 1111 1 lkl~ [ion o(hillll I-holll-]

(l-kiiing lIllllhuhl1hc

ll)-hl l() 2()

l11astered what were ar rhe ril11e rhe l110sr advanced principles of design the mher

ve~sel acknowledges the cominuing f)Over and value of archaic decorarion frol11 an

era wirh which rhe parron mav have wished [() be associared

During rhe Shang and Zhou periods (ca 1 O)O-2)C) BeE) broll1e vessels were

used by kings and powerfLd dans in sers of wine and food conrainers to make rirual

offerings [() unseen ancestors who were nourished lw this sustenance Honored

and commemorared rhrough rhe use of rhese precious vessels ancestral spirirs

were rhoughr [() confer bleings on rheir descendatHs ar rhe sal11e ril11e the use

of rhe vessels displayed [0 rhe living rhe power and wealrh of rheir owners I jhe

bronzes were dramaric presences on alrars and were major componenrs of rirual

performances j he number of vessels owned h a noble of rhe larer Shang or Zhou

period numbered abour 20 to 40 pieces as we shall see below Rarel would all

of these have been of exacry rhe same dare or dad wirh dosely relared decorarion

4H

Figur

186

perio

BCE

M25

near

shi w

Liulil

mudi

Wen

color

~url I 1IIl1 Ii II 10

L Xltnn IIHlU period

thmiddot](lth clI1T 1(1

(ltcd from J()mh

2~ I at Liulil 1ltII112h1I1

Ir Helling Jrolll X1IlWil

hamhl cd

qillgtfJigqi Yllilll If -lk~

n Ilf(hincl Br01Ul

_ijill lllll LiHthtllhl 7() no 2(1

sign the other

ration from an

ze vessels were

to make ritual

lI1Ct Honored

tlcestral spirits

time the use

owners I he

nent of ri tual

hang or Zhou

lrely would all

ed decoration

REVIVIN( ANCIENT ORIET AD THE PRESENCE OF THE PAST

rigUT 21 -bi Ii 1H() un Xcrn Zilol

fgtltriod II [hIO[h (ctun

flUc hGtva[ld hOIll I JIltgt

1211 at liliile itnlhlIl

ncar BLijing Irom Bdjil1g

shi VlIlWtl yil1jiil-Utl

Liuile Xj fJ1t II5I(

JJlI(j fY-3-Y- l-kijillg

XlTilIlhHh~1t1 hl 1 q)=)

wlo[ 11 2~

But regardless of date or decor the differences and similarities between them

were significant

lhe decorative differences must have been recognized bur did members

of Shang and Zhou elite bmilies recognize that pieces carried associations with

the past Are rderences to the past within the decor of bronzes a special t(Jrll1 of

ritual or ideological communication [ hese arc some of the many questions that

this conjunction or juxtapositioll o~ two bronzes poses I shall respond to these

questions through an exalllinarion of the luture of bronze onument that allowed

viewers of the pas and allows us toda) to sense the correlation between ornament

and its use at particular times and places Bronze ornament was the product of a

readily inrelligible system which depended on replication of design demen ts

from one generation to the next JOt onlv were motifs repeated on different vessels

of the same period bur as here designs from an earlier period could be recreated on

RE[-JVE-IT-JG THE PAST

Fipll 2h Rubhi1S of the dC(Oralioll on the lai Ii

later pieces Replication of past designs was a f()[ll ofcultural reproducrion through

which the patrons and owners of vessels allowed ideas about themselves and their

relations to past traditions to rake a visual form In one sense such reproduction

depended Oil conrinuiry but by owning and llsing vessels thar called to mind more

remote eras tbe patrons also reacbed back beyond the immediate past in order to

associate themselves with earlier generations and their deeds

Ihe two Western Zhou Ii vessels further draw attenrion to the privileged role of

rima vessels in tbe phenomenon of archaism in Chinese visual culture known as

illlgru flj i II or imitating the past Ihe vessels show that self-conscious eft()rrs to

recreau ancienr f(ml1S and decor began in China at a very early date We know well

the revivals in paiming calligraphy and other tmdia from the Song (960-1279)

to the Qi ng (1644-]91 ]) periods and I have elsewhere discllssed archaism in

bronzes of the 9th-7th centuries Be E as well as other forms of revival ()ne of the

purposes of this paper is to add another chronological layer to our understanding of

an early srage in the history ofjfmgfJJI It is a stage that is rarely irever considered

perhaps because obsession with individual motifs most especially rhe t(wtif has

polarized schobrly views and dcHecred attention aW1Y iiom lrchaism evidenr in a

close study of variation ill bronze decor

Sets Ornament and the Ornament System In any culture revivals of forms and decoration of past arreElCts and buildings

depend upon the ability of viewers to recognize these references Recognition must

distinguish past from presenr and revival from contemporary flshion Perception of

difFerence is essenrial If people of later generations cannot ideJ1[it allllsions to the

past through linguistic or visual rderences they cannot manipulate such references

[0 achieve social or ideological goals

One means of distinguishing contemporary design from revivals depends Oil

our ability to recognize combinations of f()ffTI and decoration specific to certain

)()

~--zmiddotmiddotmiddot(

J - ~ --I ~

lucrion through

nselves and their

ch reproduccion

~d [0 mind more

past in order ro

privileged role of

Jlture known as

lscious df()f(s to

e We know well

ong (O-1279)

sed archaism in

iva One of the

Jllderstanding of

ever considered

Iy tbe ramie has

lism evident in a

n

rs and buildings

ecognirion mllst

)n Perception of

y allusions to the

e such references

vals depends on

)ecihc [0 certain

REV I V I -r C Ai C I Ic-r TOR -r 1 E -r T -r l) T H F PRE S Ie C F 0 I T H l I AS T

particular periods is a skill widely distributed and widely exploited in many

cultures To understand more full what was achieved lw the Shang and Zbou

revivals I shall consider the systems of design that were employed to embellish

ritual bronzes f()r tbe motifs and their organization t()llowed patterns that allowed

and still allow viewers to calibrate them againsr rimc and place

An ornament system is tltlllllded upon rhe lise of cOllSticuent visual elements

or parrs thar an combined 1Ccording (0 certain rules OWl time rhe numbers of

the pans and modes in which thcy arc execlHed nLry change and the ruks

may be modified Nonerheless it remains possible ro trace borh rhe constituent

elements and the underlying rules of ornament systems ovn long pniods of time

Within highly ordered sysnll1s and their evolutionary trends over rime changes of

direction so ro ~leak with earlier designs inserted ar a later poinL show up rarher

dearly Among the most Ellniliar of sllch s~tems is that of Western architec(Ure

with revivals occlIrri ng ar sevlral stages over cwo m i Ilenn ia

111e decoration ofrhe Chinese hronzes tlt)JIllS another elegant ornamellt system-

To analyze sllch systems w need to recofnize that this ornamenr was inseparable

from the three-dimensional objects 011 which it appeared and cannot lx considered

in terms of individuall110tifs on Hat slIrtrces Boob that simpl reproduce bronze

decor in the tltlrI11 of rubbings and drawings suggesting visually [hat ornament

was organized on a Har surbce distorr its essential cluracceL lhe bllHr1o EilTS

on (he BOlll Ii gain dramatic emphasis as they both t()llow and stand awry from

[he rounded lobes and rise lip from [he Hat lid (Figure J) Jhe narrow hordLT of

EKe and quills on the Mai Ii (Figure 2) is matched with rhe slllooth rounded hody

of the second piece FurrhLT both vessels belonged to rhe same individual and

were prohrbly to be lIsld (Ofether and viewed simultaneously In conscquence the

ornament of a particular piece must be understood as one unit within a larger

set One of rhe principal rules or constraints on rhL ortlllllenr svstem was the

dependence of the rimrl on designated categories of vessels Ornamenr had to fit

these given vessel types and the several VCSSl I types were inevitably seen rogcther

when used sinlltlt1l1eouslv

These bronzes were casr III ceramic piecc molds whose divisions frequently

provided venlcal framing devices tltJr some motifs or Llivided orhers symmetrically

Horizolltal divisions ltlned as another flan ot- the organization of the vessel SUrE1Cc 1o

~rhus on the Bo Ju Ii vertical divisions between the molds gave rise to linls cutting

the btlfEllo heads symnwtricallv down lobes whi Ie horizonral bands were created

to display dragons around [he Illck 111ese divisions organizing the motifs llong

with the given vessel shapes and combinations of shapes in sets f(mllcd the ruks

11

---~--~-------~----------~--- _-shy

REl~F-TI~C THE PAST

(hat underpinned the ornament system The motifs that at different chronological

points were organized by these rules fl)[I11ed the parts Other parrs included

Ranges and three-dimensional heads 011 lids shoulders and handles On the two Ii

vessels we see ver~ different component parts applied although the rules flJr the

use of the vessel shape and for the vertical and horizontal divisions are the same

for both Tvo cultural practices ensured continued llse and development of the

ornament system the ritual offerings to the ancestors and the craft traditiolJS of the

ceramic mold-making technolog which underpinned the production of bronze

vessels in China

In the Shang and Zhou periods the ltletllalmotifs or parts to which these rules

were applied underwent two or three major changes as we shall note helow To

understand the sources of rhe decoration of a band with quills on the Ii in figure

2 we have to go back to the bronzes of the early Shang c11 lOO-1500 BCE I he

decor of ShlI1g brol1es can be divided imo two main chronological stages Ihe

first stage is typical of the pre- and earlv-Anyang periods LIming which the parts

consisted of SGolls and quill parrerns orglI1ized around eves to suggest the bces of

creatures (sometimes called Loehr Styles 1- I11) [ he second stage is that of the

main Anyang period (ca 1500-10)0 BCF) whel1 more legible t(wtie moritS with

clelrly defined eyes cars horns and bodies often combined with dragon or birdshy

like creatures (known as Loehr Styles [V-V) were current Ihe major diHerence

between the two stages lies in the treatment of the background of ltll1gular spirals

known as eizuili against which zool1lorphic creatllres cOllld be perceived

Decor coml11only lIsed flH vessels of rhe carly estern Zholl was similar to

that of the second phase of ShlI1g bronze prodllcriol1 he Bo III Ii belongs to

this second phase Viewed by sOl11eone aware of this contrlst hetween the earlier

lnd the later srages the other Western Zholl Ii vessel decorated with a plain band

arollnd the neck would have looked old-tlshiol1eLl and would have been perceived

as a revival or evocation of the earlier l110de of decoration nor as a deployment of

current Elshion However while we consider such revivals as examples of an inrerest

in the past to the pcopk of the Zholl period they may have signalled a rd(rence

rather to an earlier generation In other words the differences in decorative mode

might have been viewed in terms of Ell11ih historv rather than in terms of a known

lnd recorded rime

Rdevltlnr to other types of revival whicb will be discussed only brieRy arc the

later changes in bronze design and function that occurred in the middk to late

Western Zh()U 1 his radical trallsformation of decor took the f(HI11 of repetitive

and geometric rendering of zoomorpbic motifs hom the sixth cenrurv BeE

analogical

included

the (WO Ii

lIes for the

the same

em of the

ions of the

of bronze

these rules

below J()

j in Figure

BeE Illl

[ages I hl

h the pans

he bees of

that of the

lOtifs with

on or birdshy

difFerlnce

lIar spirals

Tceivnl

similar [()

belongs to

the larlilr

plain band

1 percliYed

loymllH of

an inrlrlst

a rderence

Hive mode

)fl known

fly are the

die to late

f repetitive

rury BeE

REVIVIlG A~CIE~T OR~lEgtT A[) THE IRESFCE Of THE PAST

onwards interlace and inla) provided the characteristics of rhe last phase of Zhou

bronze decor Bur despite these quire major changes in parts of the ornamenraJ

system vessels continued [0 be cast in piece molds and used in sets lhus the

ways in which the ornament was organized and deployed across seveul vessels Llsld

togedler followed rhe underlying rules typical of much earlier periods

I have chosen to emphasize the undlrl)ing ortlament sslcm in ordlr to makl

clear the framework of design within which revivals could be difFlrcnriated from

vessels in a more conremporarv mode tor only if that difFerentiation was possible

could allusions and associations be linked with the difFenm pilcls We see here a

powerful example of Ddellzes emphasis on difference and ITpetition1 i It is indeld

possible to argue that variations in ornamlnt within a given )stem bcilitatld a

series of signals in slmiotic terms Ornal1llllt wa a very powerfttl instrtll11lllt

by which information could be exchanged bltwlcn n1ll11bns of elite bmilies In

previolls writings two rarhlr ditterent approaches have been taken on the one

hand ornaJ11lnt has been regarded as a mann of lt1esti1ltic etteu on till othn it has

been treated having some sort of iconic or iconographic meaning

Wherl ornament has IWln valued f(lr its aesthetic qualitils the word stvle

is frllJulnrly lkplmlJ 1 1 h~lT so br avoided this tlrln bur it can lX lIsed to

distinguish several c1oscl rcluld versions of an ornamental tradition over a limited

period of titnt Ihm the Bo Ju Ii (Figurl 1) can be described as carrying ornament

in an llriy Zhou styk by which I I11lan that it is a Zhou-pniod varial][ of the

ue Shang phsl of the ornaI11lnt sstem Jhl Mai Ii (Figure ) can bl lkscribed

as a Zhou-stylc rnival of rhe early Shang stagls of the systcm But a discussion

of ornament as stvle llonl docs not enable LIS to rlad the pmsible associations

thaI thlsl bronzes cOIleVld when emplmed in tillir original COl1tlxts for has an

iconographic approach proved sLlccessftd ill lllvcloping such a projlct Attllllpts

to identif) particular Illotif~ as carrying splcihc relerellcls to crearures or deitils

described olltside the realm of bronzl design haT nor provld fiuitful and not

only blGlllSe there arl no satisElctory altlrnative SOllfClS from which to dcriw

evidence of such deities I he principal probkm is tll~lf an iconographic approach

overlooks thl value of thl ari~l[iollS of a single motif as pan of a system of design

to carry associations I 1hus some motifs ll1av have had a meaning in till sensl of

referring to particular UTltltllrlS living and imaginary But to tah this point of

view does nothing to explain thl very largl IlllJllblr of variations of dragollS or

frontal EKes known as tlotil To advance this aspect of the discussion I will now

consider some of the ways in which ritual bronzes might have convlyld meanings

or rather associuions

r RFIFT1C THE PAST

Materiality and Meaning Ir is evident from the primary function of the bronze vessels that they were important

sites of commLllliClrion Xlhen used ro offer wine and food to rhe ancestors the

bronzes mediated between the living and the unseen spirits In terms of Alfred

Cdls work the vessels were agcnts acting upon tO separatcd consdruencics and

thndw putting them in cOl11mullication with one another lhe poems of rhe Sb

i (Book SOllgl) providc thc most accessihle evidence that the scem of

food and wine held in thc n~ssels a onc Illcans to arrract ancestral spirits that is

m communicate with thelllCi Another f(lllll ofconract was established through the

words cast in the brollzcs Long inscriptions primarilY in or on early Zhou bronzes

wcn addresscd ro the anccstors and to furun descendcnts BricL earlier inscriptions

that recorded clan and regional affiliations also lXpressed the position of rhe sers of

vcssels wirhin a network of ancestors lI1d dcsccndalHs

Jhc bronzes buricd irh fu Han ( rhe consort of rhe Shang King Vu Dillg

(ca 120() BeE) pnlide a good cxample of a Sl( of es~e1s en 11llshed hy their

inscriprions in a complL socilry I he imcriprions include hI Haos name in life

alld her ritual naille after dearh nalllcs of orher Illcmhers of her lineagc nalllcs

of officials associarLli wirh the Slung culr ritual and names of oflici1ls associnLli

with regiolls olltsiJe Allang Such records signalled Fu Haos positioll lI1d

lhar of lin widn tlmik in both soci~tl and ritual rcbtiomhips Alongside or ill

place of rhL i nscri priol1s signa II ing thcsc rei ationsh ips thc vessels thu11Sclves~rhei r

shllXs their sizes and rhcir decoration-arc likely to have been intcgral parrs of

the l11essagc also

Visual displays of the vessels reStlllg UpOI1 an alrar and in movement during

highk choreographed sequences of 1eriollS In rituals would have attracted

attention and cOI1evlll tU Haos staws to the [hing and the dead It is rathn

han1I however imply [(l view all eXlcptionlll hnclv made and~lers as redolcm

of stalllS 1I1d power A l1lorc nuanccd approach is llcclkd to reflect the numcrous

ingenious I11ClllS Iw which people construct thcir ellironll1enrs ro rcalize in highlv

specihc was their idemiries and roles rliari [0 ochers in their societies A growing

theoretical approach thL stud of materiality has sought to give emphasis to rhe

material disrinLthcness of differenr cultures and their specihc practices In rhis

disc()m~e the phsic~ll esistenu of a ork of lrr or 111 arrd1Ct is recognized 1S

an activc componenr in thc cOllstruction and rransmission of rhe culwral lire of

a group of people who emplO rhese artefaCts in their social and religious lives

Such arguments h~1e been put forward by Daniel Miller L)nn Meskell and Tim

Ihm I who used the term 11lltcrialit to embrace the physical and cognlflvc

[

B

re

he

pI

fo

wi

wi

oil

be

th

bo

the

inl

1h

we

ide

bn

Cal

in

~url I 1IIl1 Ii II 10

L Xltnn IIHlU period

thmiddot](lth clI1T 1(1

(ltcd from J()mh

2~ I at Liulil 1ltII112h1I1

Ir Helling Jrolll X1IlWil

hamhl cd

qillgtfJigqi Yllilll If -lk~

n Ilf(hincl Br01Ul

_ijill lllll LiHthtllhl 7() no 2(1

sign the other

ration from an

ze vessels were

to make ritual

lI1Ct Honored

tlcestral spirits

time the use

owners I he

nent of ri tual

hang or Zhou

lrely would all

ed decoration

REVIVIN( ANCIENT ORIET AD THE PRESENCE OF THE PAST

rigUT 21 -bi Ii 1H() un Xcrn Zilol

fgtltriod II [hIO[h (ctun

flUc hGtva[ld hOIll I JIltgt

1211 at liliile itnlhlIl

ncar BLijing Irom Bdjil1g

shi VlIlWtl yil1jiil-Utl

Liuile Xj fJ1t II5I(

JJlI(j fY-3-Y- l-kijillg

XlTilIlhHh~1t1 hl 1 q)=)

wlo[ 11 2~

But regardless of date or decor the differences and similarities between them

were significant

lhe decorative differences must have been recognized bur did members

of Shang and Zhou elite bmilies recognize that pieces carried associations with

the past Are rderences to the past within the decor of bronzes a special t(Jrll1 of

ritual or ideological communication [ hese arc some of the many questions that

this conjunction or juxtapositioll o~ two bronzes poses I shall respond to these

questions through an exalllinarion of the luture of bronze onument that allowed

viewers of the pas and allows us toda) to sense the correlation between ornament

and its use at particular times and places Bronze ornament was the product of a

readily inrelligible system which depended on replication of design demen ts

from one generation to the next JOt onlv were motifs repeated on different vessels

of the same period bur as here designs from an earlier period could be recreated on

RE[-JVE-IT-JG THE PAST

Fipll 2h Rubhi1S of the dC(Oralioll on the lai Ii

later pieces Replication of past designs was a f()[ll ofcultural reproducrion through

which the patrons and owners of vessels allowed ideas about themselves and their

relations to past traditions to rake a visual form In one sense such reproduction

depended Oil conrinuiry but by owning and llsing vessels thar called to mind more

remote eras tbe patrons also reacbed back beyond the immediate past in order to

associate themselves with earlier generations and their deeds

Ihe two Western Zhou Ii vessels further draw attenrion to the privileged role of

rima vessels in tbe phenomenon of archaism in Chinese visual culture known as

illlgru flj i II or imitating the past Ihe vessels show that self-conscious eft()rrs to

recreau ancienr f(ml1S and decor began in China at a very early date We know well

the revivals in paiming calligraphy and other tmdia from the Song (960-1279)

to the Qi ng (1644-]91 ]) periods and I have elsewhere discllssed archaism in

bronzes of the 9th-7th centuries Be E as well as other forms of revival ()ne of the

purposes of this paper is to add another chronological layer to our understanding of

an early srage in the history ofjfmgfJJI It is a stage that is rarely irever considered

perhaps because obsession with individual motifs most especially rhe t(wtif has

polarized schobrly views and dcHecred attention aW1Y iiom lrchaism evidenr in a

close study of variation ill bronze decor

Sets Ornament and the Ornament System In any culture revivals of forms and decoration of past arreElCts and buildings

depend upon the ability of viewers to recognize these references Recognition must

distinguish past from presenr and revival from contemporary flshion Perception of

difFerence is essenrial If people of later generations cannot ideJ1[it allllsions to the

past through linguistic or visual rderences they cannot manipulate such references

[0 achieve social or ideological goals

One means of distinguishing contemporary design from revivals depends Oil

our ability to recognize combinations of f()ffTI and decoration specific to certain

)()

~--zmiddotmiddotmiddot(

J - ~ --I ~

lucrion through

nselves and their

ch reproduccion

~d [0 mind more

past in order ro

privileged role of

Jlture known as

lscious df()f(s to

e We know well

ong (O-1279)

sed archaism in

iva One of the

Jllderstanding of

ever considered

Iy tbe ramie has

lism evident in a

n

rs and buildings

ecognirion mllst

)n Perception of

y allusions to the

e such references

vals depends on

)ecihc [0 certain

REV I V I -r C Ai C I Ic-r TOR -r 1 E -r T -r l) T H F PRE S Ie C F 0 I T H l I AS T

particular periods is a skill widely distributed and widely exploited in many

cultures To understand more full what was achieved lw the Shang and Zbou

revivals I shall consider the systems of design that were employed to embellish

ritual bronzes f()r tbe motifs and their organization t()llowed patterns that allowed

and still allow viewers to calibrate them againsr rimc and place

An ornament system is tltlllllded upon rhe lise of cOllSticuent visual elements

or parrs thar an combined 1Ccording (0 certain rules OWl time rhe numbers of

the pans and modes in which thcy arc execlHed nLry change and the ruks

may be modified Nonerheless it remains possible ro trace borh rhe constituent

elements and the underlying rules of ornament systems ovn long pniods of time

Within highly ordered sysnll1s and their evolutionary trends over rime changes of

direction so ro ~leak with earlier designs inserted ar a later poinL show up rarher

dearly Among the most Ellniliar of sllch s~tems is that of Western architec(Ure

with revivals occlIrri ng ar sevlral stages over cwo m i Ilenn ia

111e decoration ofrhe Chinese hronzes tlt)JIllS another elegant ornamellt system-

To analyze sllch systems w need to recofnize that this ornamenr was inseparable

from the three-dimensional objects 011 which it appeared and cannot lx considered

in terms of individuall110tifs on Hat slIrtrces Boob that simpl reproduce bronze

decor in the tltlrI11 of rubbings and drawings suggesting visually [hat ornament

was organized on a Har surbce distorr its essential cluracceL lhe bllHr1o EilTS

on (he BOlll Ii gain dramatic emphasis as they both t()llow and stand awry from

[he rounded lobes and rise lip from [he Hat lid (Figure J) Jhe narrow hordLT of

EKe and quills on the Mai Ii (Figure 2) is matched with rhe slllooth rounded hody

of the second piece FurrhLT both vessels belonged to rhe same individual and

were prohrbly to be lIsld (Ofether and viewed simultaneously In conscquence the

ornament of a particular piece must be understood as one unit within a larger

set One of rhe principal rules or constraints on rhL ortlllllenr svstem was the

dependence of the rimrl on designated categories of vessels Ornamenr had to fit

these given vessel types and the several VCSSl I types were inevitably seen rogcther

when used sinlltlt1l1eouslv

These bronzes were casr III ceramic piecc molds whose divisions frequently

provided venlcal framing devices tltJr some motifs or Llivided orhers symmetrically

Horizolltal divisions ltlned as another flan ot- the organization of the vessel SUrE1Cc 1o

~rhus on the Bo Ju Ii vertical divisions between the molds gave rise to linls cutting

the btlfEllo heads symnwtricallv down lobes whi Ie horizonral bands were created

to display dragons around [he Illck 111ese divisions organizing the motifs llong

with the given vessel shapes and combinations of shapes in sets f(mllcd the ruks

11

---~--~-------~----------~--- _-shy

REl~F-TI~C THE PAST

(hat underpinned the ornament system The motifs that at different chronological

points were organized by these rules fl)[I11ed the parts Other parrs included

Ranges and three-dimensional heads 011 lids shoulders and handles On the two Ii

vessels we see ver~ different component parts applied although the rules flJr the

use of the vessel shape and for the vertical and horizontal divisions are the same

for both Tvo cultural practices ensured continued llse and development of the

ornament system the ritual offerings to the ancestors and the craft traditiolJS of the

ceramic mold-making technolog which underpinned the production of bronze

vessels in China

In the Shang and Zhou periods the ltletllalmotifs or parts to which these rules

were applied underwent two or three major changes as we shall note helow To

understand the sources of rhe decoration of a band with quills on the Ii in figure

2 we have to go back to the bronzes of the early Shang c11 lOO-1500 BCE I he

decor of ShlI1g brol1es can be divided imo two main chronological stages Ihe

first stage is typical of the pre- and earlv-Anyang periods LIming which the parts

consisted of SGolls and quill parrerns orglI1ized around eves to suggest the bces of

creatures (sometimes called Loehr Styles 1- I11) [ he second stage is that of the

main Anyang period (ca 1500-10)0 BCF) whel1 more legible t(wtie moritS with

clelrly defined eyes cars horns and bodies often combined with dragon or birdshy

like creatures (known as Loehr Styles [V-V) were current Ihe major diHerence

between the two stages lies in the treatment of the background of ltll1gular spirals

known as eizuili against which zool1lorphic creatllres cOllld be perceived

Decor coml11only lIsed flH vessels of rhe carly estern Zholl was similar to

that of the second phase of ShlI1g bronze prodllcriol1 he Bo III Ii belongs to

this second phase Viewed by sOl11eone aware of this contrlst hetween the earlier

lnd the later srages the other Western Zholl Ii vessel decorated with a plain band

arollnd the neck would have looked old-tlshiol1eLl and would have been perceived

as a revival or evocation of the earlier l110de of decoration nor as a deployment of

current Elshion However while we consider such revivals as examples of an inrerest

in the past to the pcopk of the Zholl period they may have signalled a rd(rence

rather to an earlier generation In other words the differences in decorative mode

might have been viewed in terms of Ell11ih historv rather than in terms of a known

lnd recorded rime

Rdevltlnr to other types of revival whicb will be discussed only brieRy arc the

later changes in bronze design and function that occurred in the middk to late

Western Zh()U 1 his radical trallsformation of decor took the f(HI11 of repetitive

and geometric rendering of zoomorpbic motifs hom the sixth cenrurv BeE

analogical

included

the (WO Ii

lIes for the

the same

em of the

ions of the

of bronze

these rules

below J()

j in Figure

BeE Illl

[ages I hl

h the pans

he bees of

that of the

lOtifs with

on or birdshy

difFerlnce

lIar spirals

Tceivnl

similar [()

belongs to

the larlilr

plain band

1 percliYed

loymllH of

an inrlrlst

a rderence

Hive mode

)fl known

fly are the

die to late

f repetitive

rury BeE

REVIVIlG A~CIE~T OR~lEgtT A[) THE IRESFCE Of THE PAST

onwards interlace and inla) provided the characteristics of rhe last phase of Zhou

bronze decor Bur despite these quire major changes in parts of the ornamenraJ

system vessels continued [0 be cast in piece molds and used in sets lhus the

ways in which the ornament was organized and deployed across seveul vessels Llsld

togedler followed rhe underlying rules typical of much earlier periods

I have chosen to emphasize the undlrl)ing ortlament sslcm in ordlr to makl

clear the framework of design within which revivals could be difFlrcnriated from

vessels in a more conremporarv mode tor only if that difFerentiation was possible

could allusions and associations be linked with the difFenm pilcls We see here a

powerful example of Ddellzes emphasis on difference and ITpetition1 i It is indeld

possible to argue that variations in ornamlnt within a given )stem bcilitatld a

series of signals in slmiotic terms Ornal1llllt wa a very powerfttl instrtll11lllt

by which information could be exchanged bltwlcn n1ll11bns of elite bmilies In

previolls writings two rarhlr ditterent approaches have been taken on the one

hand ornaJ11lnt has been regarded as a mann of lt1esti1ltic etteu on till othn it has

been treated having some sort of iconic or iconographic meaning

Wherl ornament has IWln valued f(lr its aesthetic qualitils the word stvle

is frllJulnrly lkplmlJ 1 1 h~lT so br avoided this tlrln bur it can lX lIsed to

distinguish several c1oscl rcluld versions of an ornamental tradition over a limited

period of titnt Ihm the Bo Ju Ii (Figurl 1) can be described as carrying ornament

in an llriy Zhou styk by which I I11lan that it is a Zhou-pniod varial][ of the

ue Shang phsl of the ornaI11lnt sstem Jhl Mai Ii (Figure ) can bl lkscribed

as a Zhou-stylc rnival of rhe early Shang stagls of the systcm But a discussion

of ornament as stvle llonl docs not enable LIS to rlad the pmsible associations

thaI thlsl bronzes cOIleVld when emplmed in tillir original COl1tlxts for has an

iconographic approach proved sLlccessftd ill lllvcloping such a projlct Attllllpts

to identif) particular Illotif~ as carrying splcihc relerellcls to crearures or deitils

described olltside the realm of bronzl design haT nor provld fiuitful and not

only blGlllSe there arl no satisElctory altlrnative SOllfClS from which to dcriw

evidence of such deities I he principal probkm is tll~lf an iconographic approach

overlooks thl value of thl ari~l[iollS of a single motif as pan of a system of design

to carry associations I 1hus some motifs ll1av have had a meaning in till sensl of

referring to particular UTltltllrlS living and imaginary But to tah this point of

view does nothing to explain thl very largl IlllJllblr of variations of dragollS or

frontal EKes known as tlotil To advance this aspect of the discussion I will now

consider some of the ways in which ritual bronzes might have convlyld meanings

or rather associuions

r RFIFT1C THE PAST

Materiality and Meaning Ir is evident from the primary function of the bronze vessels that they were important

sites of commLllliClrion Xlhen used ro offer wine and food to rhe ancestors the

bronzes mediated between the living and the unseen spirits In terms of Alfred

Cdls work the vessels were agcnts acting upon tO separatcd consdruencics and

thndw putting them in cOl11mullication with one another lhe poems of rhe Sb

i (Book SOllgl) providc thc most accessihle evidence that the scem of

food and wine held in thc n~ssels a onc Illcans to arrract ancestral spirits that is

m communicate with thelllCi Another f(lllll ofconract was established through the

words cast in the brollzcs Long inscriptions primarilY in or on early Zhou bronzes

wcn addresscd ro the anccstors and to furun descendcnts BricL earlier inscriptions

that recorded clan and regional affiliations also lXpressed the position of rhe sers of

vcssels wirhin a network of ancestors lI1d dcsccndalHs

Jhc bronzes buricd irh fu Han ( rhe consort of rhe Shang King Vu Dillg

(ca 120() BeE) pnlide a good cxample of a Sl( of es~e1s en 11llshed hy their

inscriprions in a complL socilry I he imcriprions include hI Haos name in life

alld her ritual naille after dearh nalllcs of orher Illcmhers of her lineagc nalllcs

of officials associarLli wirh the Slung culr ritual and names of oflici1ls associnLli

with regiolls olltsiJe Allang Such records signalled Fu Haos positioll lI1d

lhar of lin widn tlmik in both soci~tl and ritual rcbtiomhips Alongside or ill

place of rhL i nscri priol1s signa II ing thcsc rei ationsh ips thc vessels thu11Sclves~rhei r

shllXs their sizes and rhcir decoration-arc likely to have been intcgral parrs of

the l11essagc also

Visual displays of the vessels reStlllg UpOI1 an alrar and in movement during

highk choreographed sequences of 1eriollS In rituals would have attracted

attention and cOI1evlll tU Haos staws to the [hing and the dead It is rathn

han1I however imply [(l view all eXlcptionlll hnclv made and~lers as redolcm

of stalllS 1I1d power A l1lorc nuanccd approach is llcclkd to reflect the numcrous

ingenious I11ClllS Iw which people construct thcir ellironll1enrs ro rcalize in highlv

specihc was their idemiries and roles rliari [0 ochers in their societies A growing

theoretical approach thL stud of materiality has sought to give emphasis to rhe

material disrinLthcness of differenr cultures and their specihc practices In rhis

disc()m~e the phsic~ll esistenu of a ork of lrr or 111 arrd1Ct is recognized 1S

an activc componenr in thc cOllstruction and rransmission of rhe culwral lire of

a group of people who emplO rhese artefaCts in their social and religious lives

Such arguments h~1e been put forward by Daniel Miller L)nn Meskell and Tim

Ihm I who used the term 11lltcrialit to embrace the physical and cognlflvc

[

B

re

he

pI

fo

wi

wi

oil

be

th

bo

the

inl

1h

we

ide

bn

Cal

in

RE[-JVE-IT-JG THE PAST

Fipll 2h Rubhi1S of the dC(Oralioll on the lai Ii

later pieces Replication of past designs was a f()[ll ofcultural reproducrion through

which the patrons and owners of vessels allowed ideas about themselves and their

relations to past traditions to rake a visual form In one sense such reproduction

depended Oil conrinuiry but by owning and llsing vessels thar called to mind more

remote eras tbe patrons also reacbed back beyond the immediate past in order to

associate themselves with earlier generations and their deeds

Ihe two Western Zhou Ii vessels further draw attenrion to the privileged role of

rima vessels in tbe phenomenon of archaism in Chinese visual culture known as

illlgru flj i II or imitating the past Ihe vessels show that self-conscious eft()rrs to

recreau ancienr f(ml1S and decor began in China at a very early date We know well

the revivals in paiming calligraphy and other tmdia from the Song (960-1279)

to the Qi ng (1644-]91 ]) periods and I have elsewhere discllssed archaism in

bronzes of the 9th-7th centuries Be E as well as other forms of revival ()ne of the

purposes of this paper is to add another chronological layer to our understanding of

an early srage in the history ofjfmgfJJI It is a stage that is rarely irever considered

perhaps because obsession with individual motifs most especially rhe t(wtif has

polarized schobrly views and dcHecred attention aW1Y iiom lrchaism evidenr in a

close study of variation ill bronze decor

Sets Ornament and the Ornament System In any culture revivals of forms and decoration of past arreElCts and buildings

depend upon the ability of viewers to recognize these references Recognition must

distinguish past from presenr and revival from contemporary flshion Perception of

difFerence is essenrial If people of later generations cannot ideJ1[it allllsions to the

past through linguistic or visual rderences they cannot manipulate such references

[0 achieve social or ideological goals

One means of distinguishing contemporary design from revivals depends Oil

our ability to recognize combinations of f()ffTI and decoration specific to certain

)()

~--zmiddotmiddotmiddot(

J - ~ --I ~

lucrion through

nselves and their

ch reproduccion

~d [0 mind more

past in order ro

privileged role of

Jlture known as

lscious df()f(s to

e We know well

ong (O-1279)

sed archaism in

iva One of the

Jllderstanding of

ever considered

Iy tbe ramie has

lism evident in a

n

rs and buildings

ecognirion mllst

)n Perception of

y allusions to the

e such references

vals depends on

)ecihc [0 certain

REV I V I -r C Ai C I Ic-r TOR -r 1 E -r T -r l) T H F PRE S Ie C F 0 I T H l I AS T

particular periods is a skill widely distributed and widely exploited in many

cultures To understand more full what was achieved lw the Shang and Zbou

revivals I shall consider the systems of design that were employed to embellish

ritual bronzes f()r tbe motifs and their organization t()llowed patterns that allowed

and still allow viewers to calibrate them againsr rimc and place

An ornament system is tltlllllded upon rhe lise of cOllSticuent visual elements

or parrs thar an combined 1Ccording (0 certain rules OWl time rhe numbers of

the pans and modes in which thcy arc execlHed nLry change and the ruks

may be modified Nonerheless it remains possible ro trace borh rhe constituent

elements and the underlying rules of ornament systems ovn long pniods of time

Within highly ordered sysnll1s and their evolutionary trends over rime changes of

direction so ro ~leak with earlier designs inserted ar a later poinL show up rarher

dearly Among the most Ellniliar of sllch s~tems is that of Western architec(Ure

with revivals occlIrri ng ar sevlral stages over cwo m i Ilenn ia

111e decoration ofrhe Chinese hronzes tlt)JIllS another elegant ornamellt system-

To analyze sllch systems w need to recofnize that this ornamenr was inseparable

from the three-dimensional objects 011 which it appeared and cannot lx considered

in terms of individuall110tifs on Hat slIrtrces Boob that simpl reproduce bronze

decor in the tltlrI11 of rubbings and drawings suggesting visually [hat ornament

was organized on a Har surbce distorr its essential cluracceL lhe bllHr1o EilTS

on (he BOlll Ii gain dramatic emphasis as they both t()llow and stand awry from

[he rounded lobes and rise lip from [he Hat lid (Figure J) Jhe narrow hordLT of

EKe and quills on the Mai Ii (Figure 2) is matched with rhe slllooth rounded hody

of the second piece FurrhLT both vessels belonged to rhe same individual and

were prohrbly to be lIsld (Ofether and viewed simultaneously In conscquence the

ornament of a particular piece must be understood as one unit within a larger

set One of rhe principal rules or constraints on rhL ortlllllenr svstem was the

dependence of the rimrl on designated categories of vessels Ornamenr had to fit

these given vessel types and the several VCSSl I types were inevitably seen rogcther

when used sinlltlt1l1eouslv

These bronzes were casr III ceramic piecc molds whose divisions frequently

provided venlcal framing devices tltJr some motifs or Llivided orhers symmetrically

Horizolltal divisions ltlned as another flan ot- the organization of the vessel SUrE1Cc 1o

~rhus on the Bo Ju Ii vertical divisions between the molds gave rise to linls cutting

the btlfEllo heads symnwtricallv down lobes whi Ie horizonral bands were created

to display dragons around [he Illck 111ese divisions organizing the motifs llong

with the given vessel shapes and combinations of shapes in sets f(mllcd the ruks

11

---~--~-------~----------~--- _-shy

REl~F-TI~C THE PAST

(hat underpinned the ornament system The motifs that at different chronological

points were organized by these rules fl)[I11ed the parts Other parrs included

Ranges and three-dimensional heads 011 lids shoulders and handles On the two Ii

vessels we see ver~ different component parts applied although the rules flJr the

use of the vessel shape and for the vertical and horizontal divisions are the same

for both Tvo cultural practices ensured continued llse and development of the

ornament system the ritual offerings to the ancestors and the craft traditiolJS of the

ceramic mold-making technolog which underpinned the production of bronze

vessels in China

In the Shang and Zhou periods the ltletllalmotifs or parts to which these rules

were applied underwent two or three major changes as we shall note helow To

understand the sources of rhe decoration of a band with quills on the Ii in figure

2 we have to go back to the bronzes of the early Shang c11 lOO-1500 BCE I he

decor of ShlI1g brol1es can be divided imo two main chronological stages Ihe

first stage is typical of the pre- and earlv-Anyang periods LIming which the parts

consisted of SGolls and quill parrerns orglI1ized around eves to suggest the bces of

creatures (sometimes called Loehr Styles 1- I11) [ he second stage is that of the

main Anyang period (ca 1500-10)0 BCF) whel1 more legible t(wtie moritS with

clelrly defined eyes cars horns and bodies often combined with dragon or birdshy

like creatures (known as Loehr Styles [V-V) were current Ihe major diHerence

between the two stages lies in the treatment of the background of ltll1gular spirals

known as eizuili against which zool1lorphic creatllres cOllld be perceived

Decor coml11only lIsed flH vessels of rhe carly estern Zholl was similar to

that of the second phase of ShlI1g bronze prodllcriol1 he Bo III Ii belongs to

this second phase Viewed by sOl11eone aware of this contrlst hetween the earlier

lnd the later srages the other Western Zholl Ii vessel decorated with a plain band

arollnd the neck would have looked old-tlshiol1eLl and would have been perceived

as a revival or evocation of the earlier l110de of decoration nor as a deployment of

current Elshion However while we consider such revivals as examples of an inrerest

in the past to the pcopk of the Zholl period they may have signalled a rd(rence

rather to an earlier generation In other words the differences in decorative mode

might have been viewed in terms of Ell11ih historv rather than in terms of a known

lnd recorded rime

Rdevltlnr to other types of revival whicb will be discussed only brieRy arc the

later changes in bronze design and function that occurred in the middk to late

Western Zh()U 1 his radical trallsformation of decor took the f(HI11 of repetitive

and geometric rendering of zoomorpbic motifs hom the sixth cenrurv BeE

analogical

included

the (WO Ii

lIes for the

the same

em of the

ions of the

of bronze

these rules

below J()

j in Figure

BeE Illl

[ages I hl

h the pans

he bees of

that of the

lOtifs with

on or birdshy

difFerlnce

lIar spirals

Tceivnl

similar [()

belongs to

the larlilr

plain band

1 percliYed

loymllH of

an inrlrlst

a rderence

Hive mode

)fl known

fly are the

die to late

f repetitive

rury BeE

REVIVIlG A~CIE~T OR~lEgtT A[) THE IRESFCE Of THE PAST

onwards interlace and inla) provided the characteristics of rhe last phase of Zhou

bronze decor Bur despite these quire major changes in parts of the ornamenraJ

system vessels continued [0 be cast in piece molds and used in sets lhus the

ways in which the ornament was organized and deployed across seveul vessels Llsld

togedler followed rhe underlying rules typical of much earlier periods

I have chosen to emphasize the undlrl)ing ortlament sslcm in ordlr to makl

clear the framework of design within which revivals could be difFlrcnriated from

vessels in a more conremporarv mode tor only if that difFerentiation was possible

could allusions and associations be linked with the difFenm pilcls We see here a

powerful example of Ddellzes emphasis on difference and ITpetition1 i It is indeld

possible to argue that variations in ornamlnt within a given )stem bcilitatld a

series of signals in slmiotic terms Ornal1llllt wa a very powerfttl instrtll11lllt

by which information could be exchanged bltwlcn n1ll11bns of elite bmilies In

previolls writings two rarhlr ditterent approaches have been taken on the one

hand ornaJ11lnt has been regarded as a mann of lt1esti1ltic etteu on till othn it has

been treated having some sort of iconic or iconographic meaning

Wherl ornament has IWln valued f(lr its aesthetic qualitils the word stvle

is frllJulnrly lkplmlJ 1 1 h~lT so br avoided this tlrln bur it can lX lIsed to

distinguish several c1oscl rcluld versions of an ornamental tradition over a limited

period of titnt Ihm the Bo Ju Ii (Figurl 1) can be described as carrying ornament

in an llriy Zhou styk by which I I11lan that it is a Zhou-pniod varial][ of the

ue Shang phsl of the ornaI11lnt sstem Jhl Mai Ii (Figure ) can bl lkscribed

as a Zhou-stylc rnival of rhe early Shang stagls of the systcm But a discussion

of ornament as stvle llonl docs not enable LIS to rlad the pmsible associations

thaI thlsl bronzes cOIleVld when emplmed in tillir original COl1tlxts for has an

iconographic approach proved sLlccessftd ill lllvcloping such a projlct Attllllpts

to identif) particular Illotif~ as carrying splcihc relerellcls to crearures or deitils

described olltside the realm of bronzl design haT nor provld fiuitful and not

only blGlllSe there arl no satisElctory altlrnative SOllfClS from which to dcriw

evidence of such deities I he principal probkm is tll~lf an iconographic approach

overlooks thl value of thl ari~l[iollS of a single motif as pan of a system of design

to carry associations I 1hus some motifs ll1av have had a meaning in till sensl of

referring to particular UTltltllrlS living and imaginary But to tah this point of

view does nothing to explain thl very largl IlllJllblr of variations of dragollS or

frontal EKes known as tlotil To advance this aspect of the discussion I will now

consider some of the ways in which ritual bronzes might have convlyld meanings

or rather associuions

r RFIFT1C THE PAST

Materiality and Meaning Ir is evident from the primary function of the bronze vessels that they were important

sites of commLllliClrion Xlhen used ro offer wine and food to rhe ancestors the

bronzes mediated between the living and the unseen spirits In terms of Alfred

Cdls work the vessels were agcnts acting upon tO separatcd consdruencics and

thndw putting them in cOl11mullication with one another lhe poems of rhe Sb

i (Book SOllgl) providc thc most accessihle evidence that the scem of

food and wine held in thc n~ssels a onc Illcans to arrract ancestral spirits that is

m communicate with thelllCi Another f(lllll ofconract was established through the

words cast in the brollzcs Long inscriptions primarilY in or on early Zhou bronzes

wcn addresscd ro the anccstors and to furun descendcnts BricL earlier inscriptions

that recorded clan and regional affiliations also lXpressed the position of rhe sers of

vcssels wirhin a network of ancestors lI1d dcsccndalHs

Jhc bronzes buricd irh fu Han ( rhe consort of rhe Shang King Vu Dillg

(ca 120() BeE) pnlide a good cxample of a Sl( of es~e1s en 11llshed hy their

inscriprions in a complL socilry I he imcriprions include hI Haos name in life

alld her ritual naille after dearh nalllcs of orher Illcmhers of her lineagc nalllcs

of officials associarLli wirh the Slung culr ritual and names of oflici1ls associnLli

with regiolls olltsiJe Allang Such records signalled Fu Haos positioll lI1d

lhar of lin widn tlmik in both soci~tl and ritual rcbtiomhips Alongside or ill

place of rhL i nscri priol1s signa II ing thcsc rei ationsh ips thc vessels thu11Sclves~rhei r

shllXs their sizes and rhcir decoration-arc likely to have been intcgral parrs of

the l11essagc also

Visual displays of the vessels reStlllg UpOI1 an alrar and in movement during

highk choreographed sequences of 1eriollS In rituals would have attracted

attention and cOI1evlll tU Haos staws to the [hing and the dead It is rathn

han1I however imply [(l view all eXlcptionlll hnclv made and~lers as redolcm

of stalllS 1I1d power A l1lorc nuanccd approach is llcclkd to reflect the numcrous

ingenious I11ClllS Iw which people construct thcir ellironll1enrs ro rcalize in highlv

specihc was their idemiries and roles rliari [0 ochers in their societies A growing

theoretical approach thL stud of materiality has sought to give emphasis to rhe

material disrinLthcness of differenr cultures and their specihc practices In rhis

disc()m~e the phsic~ll esistenu of a ork of lrr or 111 arrd1Ct is recognized 1S

an activc componenr in thc cOllstruction and rransmission of rhe culwral lire of

a group of people who emplO rhese artefaCts in their social and religious lives

Such arguments h~1e been put forward by Daniel Miller L)nn Meskell and Tim

Ihm I who used the term 11lltcrialit to embrace the physical and cognlflvc

[

B

re

he

pI

fo

wi

wi

oil

be

th

bo

the

inl

1h

we

ide

bn

Cal

in

~--zmiddotmiddotmiddot(

J - ~ --I ~

lucrion through

nselves and their

ch reproduccion

~d [0 mind more

past in order ro

privileged role of

Jlture known as

lscious df()f(s to

e We know well

ong (O-1279)

sed archaism in

iva One of the

Jllderstanding of

ever considered

Iy tbe ramie has

lism evident in a

n

rs and buildings

ecognirion mllst

)n Perception of

y allusions to the

e such references

vals depends on

)ecihc [0 certain

REV I V I -r C Ai C I Ic-r TOR -r 1 E -r T -r l) T H F PRE S Ie C F 0 I T H l I AS T

particular periods is a skill widely distributed and widely exploited in many

cultures To understand more full what was achieved lw the Shang and Zbou

revivals I shall consider the systems of design that were employed to embellish

ritual bronzes f()r tbe motifs and their organization t()llowed patterns that allowed

and still allow viewers to calibrate them againsr rimc and place

An ornament system is tltlllllded upon rhe lise of cOllSticuent visual elements

or parrs thar an combined 1Ccording (0 certain rules OWl time rhe numbers of

the pans and modes in which thcy arc execlHed nLry change and the ruks

may be modified Nonerheless it remains possible ro trace borh rhe constituent

elements and the underlying rules of ornament systems ovn long pniods of time

Within highly ordered sysnll1s and their evolutionary trends over rime changes of

direction so ro ~leak with earlier designs inserted ar a later poinL show up rarher

dearly Among the most Ellniliar of sllch s~tems is that of Western architec(Ure

with revivals occlIrri ng ar sevlral stages over cwo m i Ilenn ia

111e decoration ofrhe Chinese hronzes tlt)JIllS another elegant ornamellt system-

To analyze sllch systems w need to recofnize that this ornamenr was inseparable

from the three-dimensional objects 011 which it appeared and cannot lx considered

in terms of individuall110tifs on Hat slIrtrces Boob that simpl reproduce bronze

decor in the tltlrI11 of rubbings and drawings suggesting visually [hat ornament

was organized on a Har surbce distorr its essential cluracceL lhe bllHr1o EilTS

on (he BOlll Ii gain dramatic emphasis as they both t()llow and stand awry from

[he rounded lobes and rise lip from [he Hat lid (Figure J) Jhe narrow hordLT of

EKe and quills on the Mai Ii (Figure 2) is matched with rhe slllooth rounded hody

of the second piece FurrhLT both vessels belonged to rhe same individual and

were prohrbly to be lIsld (Ofether and viewed simultaneously In conscquence the

ornament of a particular piece must be understood as one unit within a larger

set One of rhe principal rules or constraints on rhL ortlllllenr svstem was the

dependence of the rimrl on designated categories of vessels Ornamenr had to fit

these given vessel types and the several VCSSl I types were inevitably seen rogcther

when used sinlltlt1l1eouslv

These bronzes were casr III ceramic piecc molds whose divisions frequently

provided venlcal framing devices tltJr some motifs or Llivided orhers symmetrically

Horizolltal divisions ltlned as another flan ot- the organization of the vessel SUrE1Cc 1o

~rhus on the Bo Ju Ii vertical divisions between the molds gave rise to linls cutting

the btlfEllo heads symnwtricallv down lobes whi Ie horizonral bands were created

to display dragons around [he Illck 111ese divisions organizing the motifs llong

with the given vessel shapes and combinations of shapes in sets f(mllcd the ruks

11

---~--~-------~----------~--- _-shy

REl~F-TI~C THE PAST

(hat underpinned the ornament system The motifs that at different chronological

points were organized by these rules fl)[I11ed the parts Other parrs included

Ranges and three-dimensional heads 011 lids shoulders and handles On the two Ii

vessels we see ver~ different component parts applied although the rules flJr the

use of the vessel shape and for the vertical and horizontal divisions are the same

for both Tvo cultural practices ensured continued llse and development of the

ornament system the ritual offerings to the ancestors and the craft traditiolJS of the

ceramic mold-making technolog which underpinned the production of bronze

vessels in China

In the Shang and Zhou periods the ltletllalmotifs or parts to which these rules

were applied underwent two or three major changes as we shall note helow To

understand the sources of rhe decoration of a band with quills on the Ii in figure

2 we have to go back to the bronzes of the early Shang c11 lOO-1500 BCE I he

decor of ShlI1g brol1es can be divided imo two main chronological stages Ihe

first stage is typical of the pre- and earlv-Anyang periods LIming which the parts

consisted of SGolls and quill parrerns orglI1ized around eves to suggest the bces of

creatures (sometimes called Loehr Styles 1- I11) [ he second stage is that of the

main Anyang period (ca 1500-10)0 BCF) whel1 more legible t(wtie moritS with

clelrly defined eyes cars horns and bodies often combined with dragon or birdshy

like creatures (known as Loehr Styles [V-V) were current Ihe major diHerence

between the two stages lies in the treatment of the background of ltll1gular spirals

known as eizuili against which zool1lorphic creatllres cOllld be perceived

Decor coml11only lIsed flH vessels of rhe carly estern Zholl was similar to

that of the second phase of ShlI1g bronze prodllcriol1 he Bo III Ii belongs to

this second phase Viewed by sOl11eone aware of this contrlst hetween the earlier

lnd the later srages the other Western Zholl Ii vessel decorated with a plain band

arollnd the neck would have looked old-tlshiol1eLl and would have been perceived

as a revival or evocation of the earlier l110de of decoration nor as a deployment of

current Elshion However while we consider such revivals as examples of an inrerest

in the past to the pcopk of the Zholl period they may have signalled a rd(rence

rather to an earlier generation In other words the differences in decorative mode

might have been viewed in terms of Ell11ih historv rather than in terms of a known

lnd recorded rime

Rdevltlnr to other types of revival whicb will be discussed only brieRy arc the

later changes in bronze design and function that occurred in the middk to late

Western Zh()U 1 his radical trallsformation of decor took the f(HI11 of repetitive

and geometric rendering of zoomorpbic motifs hom the sixth cenrurv BeE

analogical

included

the (WO Ii

lIes for the

the same

em of the

ions of the

of bronze

these rules

below J()

j in Figure

BeE Illl

[ages I hl

h the pans

he bees of

that of the

lOtifs with

on or birdshy

difFerlnce

lIar spirals

Tceivnl

similar [()

belongs to

the larlilr

plain band

1 percliYed

loymllH of

an inrlrlst

a rderence

Hive mode

)fl known

fly are the

die to late

f repetitive

rury BeE

REVIVIlG A~CIE~T OR~lEgtT A[) THE IRESFCE Of THE PAST

onwards interlace and inla) provided the characteristics of rhe last phase of Zhou

bronze decor Bur despite these quire major changes in parts of the ornamenraJ

system vessels continued [0 be cast in piece molds and used in sets lhus the

ways in which the ornament was organized and deployed across seveul vessels Llsld

togedler followed rhe underlying rules typical of much earlier periods

I have chosen to emphasize the undlrl)ing ortlament sslcm in ordlr to makl

clear the framework of design within which revivals could be difFlrcnriated from

vessels in a more conremporarv mode tor only if that difFerentiation was possible

could allusions and associations be linked with the difFenm pilcls We see here a

powerful example of Ddellzes emphasis on difference and ITpetition1 i It is indeld

possible to argue that variations in ornamlnt within a given )stem bcilitatld a

series of signals in slmiotic terms Ornal1llllt wa a very powerfttl instrtll11lllt

by which information could be exchanged bltwlcn n1ll11bns of elite bmilies In

previolls writings two rarhlr ditterent approaches have been taken on the one

hand ornaJ11lnt has been regarded as a mann of lt1esti1ltic etteu on till othn it has

been treated having some sort of iconic or iconographic meaning

Wherl ornament has IWln valued f(lr its aesthetic qualitils the word stvle

is frllJulnrly lkplmlJ 1 1 h~lT so br avoided this tlrln bur it can lX lIsed to

distinguish several c1oscl rcluld versions of an ornamental tradition over a limited

period of titnt Ihm the Bo Ju Ii (Figurl 1) can be described as carrying ornament

in an llriy Zhou styk by which I I11lan that it is a Zhou-pniod varial][ of the

ue Shang phsl of the ornaI11lnt sstem Jhl Mai Ii (Figure ) can bl lkscribed

as a Zhou-stylc rnival of rhe early Shang stagls of the systcm But a discussion

of ornament as stvle llonl docs not enable LIS to rlad the pmsible associations

thaI thlsl bronzes cOIleVld when emplmed in tillir original COl1tlxts for has an

iconographic approach proved sLlccessftd ill lllvcloping such a projlct Attllllpts

to identif) particular Illotif~ as carrying splcihc relerellcls to crearures or deitils

described olltside the realm of bronzl design haT nor provld fiuitful and not

only blGlllSe there arl no satisElctory altlrnative SOllfClS from which to dcriw

evidence of such deities I he principal probkm is tll~lf an iconographic approach

overlooks thl value of thl ari~l[iollS of a single motif as pan of a system of design

to carry associations I 1hus some motifs ll1av have had a meaning in till sensl of

referring to particular UTltltllrlS living and imaginary But to tah this point of

view does nothing to explain thl very largl IlllJllblr of variations of dragollS or

frontal EKes known as tlotil To advance this aspect of the discussion I will now

consider some of the ways in which ritual bronzes might have convlyld meanings

or rather associuions

r RFIFT1C THE PAST

Materiality and Meaning Ir is evident from the primary function of the bronze vessels that they were important

sites of commLllliClrion Xlhen used ro offer wine and food to rhe ancestors the

bronzes mediated between the living and the unseen spirits In terms of Alfred

Cdls work the vessels were agcnts acting upon tO separatcd consdruencics and

thndw putting them in cOl11mullication with one another lhe poems of rhe Sb

i (Book SOllgl) providc thc most accessihle evidence that the scem of

food and wine held in thc n~ssels a onc Illcans to arrract ancestral spirits that is

m communicate with thelllCi Another f(lllll ofconract was established through the

words cast in the brollzcs Long inscriptions primarilY in or on early Zhou bronzes

wcn addresscd ro the anccstors and to furun descendcnts BricL earlier inscriptions

that recorded clan and regional affiliations also lXpressed the position of rhe sers of

vcssels wirhin a network of ancestors lI1d dcsccndalHs

Jhc bronzes buricd irh fu Han ( rhe consort of rhe Shang King Vu Dillg

(ca 120() BeE) pnlide a good cxample of a Sl( of es~e1s en 11llshed hy their

inscriprions in a complL socilry I he imcriprions include hI Haos name in life

alld her ritual naille after dearh nalllcs of orher Illcmhers of her lineagc nalllcs

of officials associarLli wirh the Slung culr ritual and names of oflici1ls associnLli

with regiolls olltsiJe Allang Such records signalled Fu Haos positioll lI1d

lhar of lin widn tlmik in both soci~tl and ritual rcbtiomhips Alongside or ill

place of rhL i nscri priol1s signa II ing thcsc rei ationsh ips thc vessels thu11Sclves~rhei r

shllXs their sizes and rhcir decoration-arc likely to have been intcgral parrs of

the l11essagc also

Visual displays of the vessels reStlllg UpOI1 an alrar and in movement during

highk choreographed sequences of 1eriollS In rituals would have attracted

attention and cOI1evlll tU Haos staws to the [hing and the dead It is rathn

han1I however imply [(l view all eXlcptionlll hnclv made and~lers as redolcm

of stalllS 1I1d power A l1lorc nuanccd approach is llcclkd to reflect the numcrous

ingenious I11ClllS Iw which people construct thcir ellironll1enrs ro rcalize in highlv

specihc was their idemiries and roles rliari [0 ochers in their societies A growing

theoretical approach thL stud of materiality has sought to give emphasis to rhe

material disrinLthcness of differenr cultures and their specihc practices In rhis

disc()m~e the phsic~ll esistenu of a ork of lrr or 111 arrd1Ct is recognized 1S

an activc componenr in thc cOllstruction and rransmission of rhe culwral lire of

a group of people who emplO rhese artefaCts in their social and religious lives

Such arguments h~1e been put forward by Daniel Miller L)nn Meskell and Tim

Ihm I who used the term 11lltcrialit to embrace the physical and cognlflvc

[

B

re

he

pI

fo

wi

wi

oil

be

th

bo

the

inl

1h

we

ide

bn

Cal

in

---~--~-------~----------~--- _-shy

REl~F-TI~C THE PAST

(hat underpinned the ornament system The motifs that at different chronological

points were organized by these rules fl)[I11ed the parts Other parrs included

Ranges and three-dimensional heads 011 lids shoulders and handles On the two Ii

vessels we see ver~ different component parts applied although the rules flJr the

use of the vessel shape and for the vertical and horizontal divisions are the same

for both Tvo cultural practices ensured continued llse and development of the

ornament system the ritual offerings to the ancestors and the craft traditiolJS of the

ceramic mold-making technolog which underpinned the production of bronze

vessels in China

In the Shang and Zhou periods the ltletllalmotifs or parts to which these rules

were applied underwent two or three major changes as we shall note helow To

understand the sources of rhe decoration of a band with quills on the Ii in figure

2 we have to go back to the bronzes of the early Shang c11 lOO-1500 BCE I he

decor of ShlI1g brol1es can be divided imo two main chronological stages Ihe

first stage is typical of the pre- and earlv-Anyang periods LIming which the parts

consisted of SGolls and quill parrerns orglI1ized around eves to suggest the bces of

creatures (sometimes called Loehr Styles 1- I11) [ he second stage is that of the

main Anyang period (ca 1500-10)0 BCF) whel1 more legible t(wtie moritS with

clelrly defined eyes cars horns and bodies often combined with dragon or birdshy

like creatures (known as Loehr Styles [V-V) were current Ihe major diHerence

between the two stages lies in the treatment of the background of ltll1gular spirals

known as eizuili against which zool1lorphic creatllres cOllld be perceived

Decor coml11only lIsed flH vessels of rhe carly estern Zholl was similar to

that of the second phase of ShlI1g bronze prodllcriol1 he Bo III Ii belongs to

this second phase Viewed by sOl11eone aware of this contrlst hetween the earlier

lnd the later srages the other Western Zholl Ii vessel decorated with a plain band

arollnd the neck would have looked old-tlshiol1eLl and would have been perceived

as a revival or evocation of the earlier l110de of decoration nor as a deployment of

current Elshion However while we consider such revivals as examples of an inrerest

in the past to the pcopk of the Zholl period they may have signalled a rd(rence

rather to an earlier generation In other words the differences in decorative mode

might have been viewed in terms of Ell11ih historv rather than in terms of a known

lnd recorded rime

Rdevltlnr to other types of revival whicb will be discussed only brieRy arc the

later changes in bronze design and function that occurred in the middk to late

Western Zh()U 1 his radical trallsformation of decor took the f(HI11 of repetitive

and geometric rendering of zoomorpbic motifs hom the sixth cenrurv BeE

analogical

included

the (WO Ii

lIes for the

the same

em of the

ions of the

of bronze

these rules

below J()

j in Figure

BeE Illl

[ages I hl

h the pans

he bees of

that of the

lOtifs with

on or birdshy

difFerlnce

lIar spirals

Tceivnl

similar [()

belongs to

the larlilr

plain band

1 percliYed

loymllH of

an inrlrlst

a rderence

Hive mode

)fl known

fly are the

die to late

f repetitive

rury BeE

REVIVIlG A~CIE~T OR~lEgtT A[) THE IRESFCE Of THE PAST

onwards interlace and inla) provided the characteristics of rhe last phase of Zhou

bronze decor Bur despite these quire major changes in parts of the ornamenraJ

system vessels continued [0 be cast in piece molds and used in sets lhus the

ways in which the ornament was organized and deployed across seveul vessels Llsld

togedler followed rhe underlying rules typical of much earlier periods

I have chosen to emphasize the undlrl)ing ortlament sslcm in ordlr to makl

clear the framework of design within which revivals could be difFlrcnriated from

vessels in a more conremporarv mode tor only if that difFerentiation was possible

could allusions and associations be linked with the difFenm pilcls We see here a

powerful example of Ddellzes emphasis on difference and ITpetition1 i It is indeld

possible to argue that variations in ornamlnt within a given )stem bcilitatld a

series of signals in slmiotic terms Ornal1llllt wa a very powerfttl instrtll11lllt

by which information could be exchanged bltwlcn n1ll11bns of elite bmilies In

previolls writings two rarhlr ditterent approaches have been taken on the one

hand ornaJ11lnt has been regarded as a mann of lt1esti1ltic etteu on till othn it has

been treated having some sort of iconic or iconographic meaning

Wherl ornament has IWln valued f(lr its aesthetic qualitils the word stvle

is frllJulnrly lkplmlJ 1 1 h~lT so br avoided this tlrln bur it can lX lIsed to

distinguish several c1oscl rcluld versions of an ornamental tradition over a limited

period of titnt Ihm the Bo Ju Ii (Figurl 1) can be described as carrying ornament

in an llriy Zhou styk by which I I11lan that it is a Zhou-pniod varial][ of the

ue Shang phsl of the ornaI11lnt sstem Jhl Mai Ii (Figure ) can bl lkscribed

as a Zhou-stylc rnival of rhe early Shang stagls of the systcm But a discussion

of ornament as stvle llonl docs not enable LIS to rlad the pmsible associations

thaI thlsl bronzes cOIleVld when emplmed in tillir original COl1tlxts for has an

iconographic approach proved sLlccessftd ill lllvcloping such a projlct Attllllpts

to identif) particular Illotif~ as carrying splcihc relerellcls to crearures or deitils

described olltside the realm of bronzl design haT nor provld fiuitful and not

only blGlllSe there arl no satisElctory altlrnative SOllfClS from which to dcriw

evidence of such deities I he principal probkm is tll~lf an iconographic approach

overlooks thl value of thl ari~l[iollS of a single motif as pan of a system of design

to carry associations I 1hus some motifs ll1av have had a meaning in till sensl of

referring to particular UTltltllrlS living and imaginary But to tah this point of

view does nothing to explain thl very largl IlllJllblr of variations of dragollS or

frontal EKes known as tlotil To advance this aspect of the discussion I will now

consider some of the ways in which ritual bronzes might have convlyld meanings

or rather associuions

r RFIFT1C THE PAST

Materiality and Meaning Ir is evident from the primary function of the bronze vessels that they were important

sites of commLllliClrion Xlhen used ro offer wine and food to rhe ancestors the

bronzes mediated between the living and the unseen spirits In terms of Alfred

Cdls work the vessels were agcnts acting upon tO separatcd consdruencics and

thndw putting them in cOl11mullication with one another lhe poems of rhe Sb

i (Book SOllgl) providc thc most accessihle evidence that the scem of

food and wine held in thc n~ssels a onc Illcans to arrract ancestral spirits that is

m communicate with thelllCi Another f(lllll ofconract was established through the

words cast in the brollzcs Long inscriptions primarilY in or on early Zhou bronzes

wcn addresscd ro the anccstors and to furun descendcnts BricL earlier inscriptions

that recorded clan and regional affiliations also lXpressed the position of rhe sers of

vcssels wirhin a network of ancestors lI1d dcsccndalHs

Jhc bronzes buricd irh fu Han ( rhe consort of rhe Shang King Vu Dillg

(ca 120() BeE) pnlide a good cxample of a Sl( of es~e1s en 11llshed hy their

inscriprions in a complL socilry I he imcriprions include hI Haos name in life

alld her ritual naille after dearh nalllcs of orher Illcmhers of her lineagc nalllcs

of officials associarLli wirh the Slung culr ritual and names of oflici1ls associnLli

with regiolls olltsiJe Allang Such records signalled Fu Haos positioll lI1d

lhar of lin widn tlmik in both soci~tl and ritual rcbtiomhips Alongside or ill

place of rhL i nscri priol1s signa II ing thcsc rei ationsh ips thc vessels thu11Sclves~rhei r

shllXs their sizes and rhcir decoration-arc likely to have been intcgral parrs of

the l11essagc also

Visual displays of the vessels reStlllg UpOI1 an alrar and in movement during

highk choreographed sequences of 1eriollS In rituals would have attracted

attention and cOI1evlll tU Haos staws to the [hing and the dead It is rathn

han1I however imply [(l view all eXlcptionlll hnclv made and~lers as redolcm

of stalllS 1I1d power A l1lorc nuanccd approach is llcclkd to reflect the numcrous

ingenious I11ClllS Iw which people construct thcir ellironll1enrs ro rcalize in highlv

specihc was their idemiries and roles rliari [0 ochers in their societies A growing

theoretical approach thL stud of materiality has sought to give emphasis to rhe

material disrinLthcness of differenr cultures and their specihc practices In rhis

disc()m~e the phsic~ll esistenu of a ork of lrr or 111 arrd1Ct is recognized 1S

an activc componenr in thc cOllstruction and rransmission of rhe culwral lire of

a group of people who emplO rhese artefaCts in their social and religious lives

Such arguments h~1e been put forward by Daniel Miller L)nn Meskell and Tim

Ihm I who used the term 11lltcrialit to embrace the physical and cognlflvc

[

B

re

he

pI

fo

wi

wi

oil

be

th

bo

the

inl

1h

we

ide

bn

Cal

in

analogical

included

the (WO Ii

lIes for the

the same

em of the

ions of the

of bronze

these rules

below J()

j in Figure

BeE Illl

[ages I hl

h the pans

he bees of

that of the

lOtifs with

on or birdshy

difFerlnce

lIar spirals

Tceivnl

similar [()

belongs to

the larlilr

plain band

1 percliYed

loymllH of

an inrlrlst

a rderence

Hive mode

)fl known

fly are the

die to late

f repetitive

rury BeE

REVIVIlG A~CIE~T OR~lEgtT A[) THE IRESFCE Of THE PAST

onwards interlace and inla) provided the characteristics of rhe last phase of Zhou

bronze decor Bur despite these quire major changes in parts of the ornamenraJ

system vessels continued [0 be cast in piece molds and used in sets lhus the

ways in which the ornament was organized and deployed across seveul vessels Llsld

togedler followed rhe underlying rules typical of much earlier periods

I have chosen to emphasize the undlrl)ing ortlament sslcm in ordlr to makl

clear the framework of design within which revivals could be difFlrcnriated from

vessels in a more conremporarv mode tor only if that difFerentiation was possible

could allusions and associations be linked with the difFenm pilcls We see here a

powerful example of Ddellzes emphasis on difference and ITpetition1 i It is indeld

possible to argue that variations in ornamlnt within a given )stem bcilitatld a

series of signals in slmiotic terms Ornal1llllt wa a very powerfttl instrtll11lllt

by which information could be exchanged bltwlcn n1ll11bns of elite bmilies In

previolls writings two rarhlr ditterent approaches have been taken on the one

hand ornaJ11lnt has been regarded as a mann of lt1esti1ltic etteu on till othn it has

been treated having some sort of iconic or iconographic meaning

Wherl ornament has IWln valued f(lr its aesthetic qualitils the word stvle

is frllJulnrly lkplmlJ 1 1 h~lT so br avoided this tlrln bur it can lX lIsed to

distinguish several c1oscl rcluld versions of an ornamental tradition over a limited

period of titnt Ihm the Bo Ju Ii (Figurl 1) can be described as carrying ornament

in an llriy Zhou styk by which I I11lan that it is a Zhou-pniod varial][ of the

ue Shang phsl of the ornaI11lnt sstem Jhl Mai Ii (Figure ) can bl lkscribed

as a Zhou-stylc rnival of rhe early Shang stagls of the systcm But a discussion

of ornament as stvle llonl docs not enable LIS to rlad the pmsible associations

thaI thlsl bronzes cOIleVld when emplmed in tillir original COl1tlxts for has an

iconographic approach proved sLlccessftd ill lllvcloping such a projlct Attllllpts

to identif) particular Illotif~ as carrying splcihc relerellcls to crearures or deitils

described olltside the realm of bronzl design haT nor provld fiuitful and not

only blGlllSe there arl no satisElctory altlrnative SOllfClS from which to dcriw

evidence of such deities I he principal probkm is tll~lf an iconographic approach

overlooks thl value of thl ari~l[iollS of a single motif as pan of a system of design

to carry associations I 1hus some motifs ll1av have had a meaning in till sensl of

referring to particular UTltltllrlS living and imaginary But to tah this point of

view does nothing to explain thl very largl IlllJllblr of variations of dragollS or

frontal EKes known as tlotil To advance this aspect of the discussion I will now

consider some of the ways in which ritual bronzes might have convlyld meanings

or rather associuions

r RFIFT1C THE PAST

Materiality and Meaning Ir is evident from the primary function of the bronze vessels that they were important

sites of commLllliClrion Xlhen used ro offer wine and food to rhe ancestors the

bronzes mediated between the living and the unseen spirits In terms of Alfred

Cdls work the vessels were agcnts acting upon tO separatcd consdruencics and

thndw putting them in cOl11mullication with one another lhe poems of rhe Sb

i (Book SOllgl) providc thc most accessihle evidence that the scem of

food and wine held in thc n~ssels a onc Illcans to arrract ancestral spirits that is

m communicate with thelllCi Another f(lllll ofconract was established through the

words cast in the brollzcs Long inscriptions primarilY in or on early Zhou bronzes

wcn addresscd ro the anccstors and to furun descendcnts BricL earlier inscriptions

that recorded clan and regional affiliations also lXpressed the position of rhe sers of

vcssels wirhin a network of ancestors lI1d dcsccndalHs

Jhc bronzes buricd irh fu Han ( rhe consort of rhe Shang King Vu Dillg

(ca 120() BeE) pnlide a good cxample of a Sl( of es~e1s en 11llshed hy their

inscriprions in a complL socilry I he imcriprions include hI Haos name in life

alld her ritual naille after dearh nalllcs of orher Illcmhers of her lineagc nalllcs

of officials associarLli wirh the Slung culr ritual and names of oflici1ls associnLli

with regiolls olltsiJe Allang Such records signalled Fu Haos positioll lI1d

lhar of lin widn tlmik in both soci~tl and ritual rcbtiomhips Alongside or ill

place of rhL i nscri priol1s signa II ing thcsc rei ationsh ips thc vessels thu11Sclves~rhei r

shllXs their sizes and rhcir decoration-arc likely to have been intcgral parrs of

the l11essagc also

Visual displays of the vessels reStlllg UpOI1 an alrar and in movement during

highk choreographed sequences of 1eriollS In rituals would have attracted

attention and cOI1evlll tU Haos staws to the [hing and the dead It is rathn

han1I however imply [(l view all eXlcptionlll hnclv made and~lers as redolcm

of stalllS 1I1d power A l1lorc nuanccd approach is llcclkd to reflect the numcrous

ingenious I11ClllS Iw which people construct thcir ellironll1enrs ro rcalize in highlv

specihc was their idemiries and roles rliari [0 ochers in their societies A growing

theoretical approach thL stud of materiality has sought to give emphasis to rhe

material disrinLthcness of differenr cultures and their specihc practices In rhis

disc()m~e the phsic~ll esistenu of a ork of lrr or 111 arrd1Ct is recognized 1S

an activc componenr in thc cOllstruction and rransmission of rhe culwral lire of

a group of people who emplO rhese artefaCts in their social and religious lives

Such arguments h~1e been put forward by Daniel Miller L)nn Meskell and Tim

Ihm I who used the term 11lltcrialit to embrace the physical and cognlflvc

[

B

re

he

pI

fo

wi

wi

oil

be

th

bo

the

inl

1h

we

ide

bn

Cal

in

r RFIFT1C THE PAST

Materiality and Meaning Ir is evident from the primary function of the bronze vessels that they were important

sites of commLllliClrion Xlhen used ro offer wine and food to rhe ancestors the

bronzes mediated between the living and the unseen spirits In terms of Alfred

Cdls work the vessels were agcnts acting upon tO separatcd consdruencics and

thndw putting them in cOl11mullication with one another lhe poems of rhe Sb

i (Book SOllgl) providc thc most accessihle evidence that the scem of

food and wine held in thc n~ssels a onc Illcans to arrract ancestral spirits that is

m communicate with thelllCi Another f(lllll ofconract was established through the

words cast in the brollzcs Long inscriptions primarilY in or on early Zhou bronzes

wcn addresscd ro the anccstors and to furun descendcnts BricL earlier inscriptions

that recorded clan and regional affiliations also lXpressed the position of rhe sers of

vcssels wirhin a network of ancestors lI1d dcsccndalHs

Jhc bronzes buricd irh fu Han ( rhe consort of rhe Shang King Vu Dillg

(ca 120() BeE) pnlide a good cxample of a Sl( of es~e1s en 11llshed hy their

inscriprions in a complL socilry I he imcriprions include hI Haos name in life

alld her ritual naille after dearh nalllcs of orher Illcmhers of her lineagc nalllcs

of officials associarLli wirh the Slung culr ritual and names of oflici1ls associnLli

with regiolls olltsiJe Allang Such records signalled Fu Haos positioll lI1d

lhar of lin widn tlmik in both soci~tl and ritual rcbtiomhips Alongside or ill

place of rhL i nscri priol1s signa II ing thcsc rei ationsh ips thc vessels thu11Sclves~rhei r

shllXs their sizes and rhcir decoration-arc likely to have been intcgral parrs of

the l11essagc also

Visual displays of the vessels reStlllg UpOI1 an alrar and in movement during

highk choreographed sequences of 1eriollS In rituals would have attracted

attention and cOI1evlll tU Haos staws to the [hing and the dead It is rathn

han1I however imply [(l view all eXlcptionlll hnclv made and~lers as redolcm

of stalllS 1I1d power A l1lorc nuanccd approach is llcclkd to reflect the numcrous

ingenious I11ClllS Iw which people construct thcir ellironll1enrs ro rcalize in highlv

specihc was their idemiries and roles rliari [0 ochers in their societies A growing

theoretical approach thL stud of materiality has sought to give emphasis to rhe

material disrinLthcness of differenr cultures and their specihc practices In rhis

disc()m~e the phsic~ll esistenu of a ork of lrr or 111 arrd1Ct is recognized 1S

an activc componenr in thc cOllstruction and rransmission of rhe culwral lire of

a group of people who emplO rhese artefaCts in their social and religious lives

Such arguments h~1e been put forward by Daniel Miller L)nn Meskell and Tim

Ihm I who used the term 11lltcrialit to embrace the physical and cognlflvc

[

B

re

he

pI

fo

wi

wi

oil

be

th

bo

the

inl

1h

we

ide

bn

Cal

in

eywere imporranc

the ancestors the

1 terms of Alfred

onstituencies and

poems of rhe

that rhe scent of

ral spirirs that is

ished rhrough the

rly ZhOli bronzes

arlier inscriptions

rion of the sets of

g King Wu Ding

nmcshed their

-laos name in life

r lineage names

[fidals associated

aos position and

Alongside or in

hemsclvcs-thei I

integral pans of

10Vemellt during

I have atrraued

lead it is rather

as rcdolell t

~ct the Ilumerous

) realize in highly

ieries A growing

emphasis to the

Iractices In th is

is recognized as

Ie cultural life of

ld religious lives

Meskcll and Tim

al and cognitive

REV I V I I C AI C I E ~TOR ~ 1 E~ r A~ D T H F PRE S E ~CEO F T H F PAS T

engagement of all humans with objects Dam quotes the work of Marcel Mallss in

his discllssion

possess a personalit and the personalities are in some way

the permanent chings of the clan Titles talismans copper objects

and the spirits the chiefs are both homollnllS and synonyms of

the same nature and performing the same functionC

Dam goes on therefore to argue [hat

Objects that are given create obligariol1s of reciprocity as well as

symbolizing social stams I his strand of social anthropology has

laid considerable emphasis on the capacin of objects to sustain

social relationships and manage a cultural order(

BUilding on this approach historians of material culture and of anthropology

recognize the roles that acmal arteElCtS as opposed to texts and speech may have

had in wcL1 ideological and cultural construction md reproduction In mher

words the objects themselves arc lCtors as important as individuals in the structures

processes and bel id of a socicty

In the Clse of ( ritual bronzes pllsical aspects of materiality rook rhe

form of direct engageIHent with containers stich as thegu (11Cltllldjilc for pouring

wine or with Villi or glli fl)r presenting meat and grains [lhysical movemellts

with bronzes in the hand or on altars were actions that not only ofFered f()od but

offered much more namel a physical reference to a continuity of rdationships

betveen the living and the dead I he bronzes therefore were active participants in

the construction of the lives of the Shang and Zhou dites creating essential social

bonds among the living

Bronze also produced in the sense of making visible and keeping before

the people involved the ideology of the time that asserted and perpetuated the

influence of the ancestors among rhe spirit world and within the living society

The durability of the bronzc~ and their Jeplovment over long periods of time

were features that ellSured rhe reproduction over successive generations of these

ideological conscructions References to the present a nd the past in the choice of

bronze ornament were among the ways in which the materiality of the bronzes

could be nuanced to underline reciprocal relationships between specific individuals

in a social group ihese details also made present the past and by implication

REIETIC THE PAST

carried it into the future also for if the past could in this way be brought into the

presel1t it could of course survive into the futureshy

We should not expect that messages expressed Lw the visual qualities of the

vessels to be of a kind that could be readily expressed in wotds Instead we are

confronted hy a difterent form of comnHlI1icHion and one that may have been

more suitable for the presentation of EU11ik position status and wealth than

words For power and status are not easily expressed verbally A particular rank

may be conferred on an individual in spllken words and in a document (such as a

bronze inscription) but if that status is to he widely recognized and sustained over

time some sort of visual display is probably needed Miliwry ranks or honorary

university degrees are validated h cerrihGltes but they are proclaimed by unitltmlls

or gowns and hoods In many societies expression in material terms prevailsshy

we too wdav make material choices in tvpes of car or tllrfl1S of dress to express

power and stams

We deploy arrdlCts metaphorically also A gold wedding ring with its co11tinuous

flmll in a ll1aterial that docs nor tarnish is 1 metaphor tl) the continuity and

endurance of marriage i ring on a finger also binds and reminds us of the bonds

of marriage I he material f(1rI11S that these claims take arc essential components of

a society embodying its values and its lspirations ) i society that values cars with

gtuggestiolls of speed related to fnruristic development puts weight Oil very different

aspects of value from one in which self-esteem WlS materialized in bronzes tl)

ofterings to past g~middotnerations

III ancient China power and stalus were necessarily reb ted to the unseen society

of the ancestors who were thought to be responsible tl)r ellSuring the success and

health of their descendants therdlJre at this date mllerial expressions of claims

flJr authority and rank would inevitablv have appeared in the lrreE1cts that fixl1Ied

components of rituals whereby comlllllnicltion with and rderences to the ancestors

were realized Vell hdllre tbe Shang period the Neolithic peoples of north China

seem to have emphasized nourishment of [he deltld as seen in their preparation of

exceptional ceramics For burial in tombs Banqueting rituals in which sumptuous

and very costlv bronze versions of cefltlmics were deployed mav have been one

outcome of this earlier practice

It is clear from inscriptions especially in early Vestern Zhou vessels that

many pieces were made at the behest of certain powerful members of tbe elite

t~)r offerings to specitic ancestors [he design of these individual bronzes may also

have been recognized by those in the inner circles of high-ranking families as being

linked with both patrons and forehears A whole set deployed in a banquet was in

~

1t into the

ies of the

ad we are

have been

alth than

ular rank

(such as a

lined over

honorary

uniforms

prevails-

to express

JIHinuous

nuity Jnd

the bonds

)onenrs of

cars with

Vdifterenr

lOmes fix

en societv

l(CeSS and

of claims

at tormed

ancestors

nh China

aration of

Jmptuous

been one

sseis that

f the elite

may also

5 as being

[ctwas ill

REVIVI0G A0 IE0T OR-AlE-T --D THE IRESE-CE OF THE PAST

this contexL a multivalent material expression of numerous relationships between

generations The carried by the essel set were also metaphorical in tht

the vessels carried the implication that the bonds between generations were as

sustaining as were the offerings of food

The Role ofArchaic Design on Vessels in

Shang and Zhou Dynasty Sets High ranking members of the elite under the Shang and the early Zhou owned

anywhere from 20 to 4) vessels that might be used together ro offer food and wine

to the dead relatives of the ElIllilv Ihese numbers are based on excavated vessel

groups from tombs RitUal bronzes were not made as burial goods hut were perhaps

interred so that their owners could continue to off(r banquets ro their ancestors

when they joined them in the afterlit( families mlt1 at any olle time han oWlled

even larger assemblages which tlwv displayed on altars bur did not hury

Three groups of Shang bronzes can be studied as chaLlcteristic examples One

assemblage of almost 200 vessels was t(lUnd in the tomb of fu Han A second

group has come from Tomb M 1 (lO at Cuojiazhuang village I~dT at Xiaotun

tg ncar Anvang and the other from I()llb M)4 in Anvang city Ihen were

45 vessels and bells ill 111 (lO and 4) in 1i4 All these display an exceptionally

high quality of bronze casting that can be associHed with royal patronage Illese

spectacular objects impress viewers roday just as they surelv impressed those who

saw them during the era when they were made they have heen the subject of

coulHless studies foclising 011 their fUllctiollS and the inscriptions rhey bear Bur

little attention has been cenrered on tbe variation of ornament within sets and

although individual vessels and categories h]Ve been examined in detail the visual

impact of rhe set as an ensemble of objects has been discussed only rarely Ihose

attending the rituals would have recognized links between vessels and persons

Certain bronzes were commissioned f(H a panicular ancestor while another might

have been owned b a relative Shape and dcor would thus havc been integrated

with familv relationships past and present Indeed I suggest that bronzes could

be seen as proxies tor people Parallels between vessels and ElIl1ily structures may

have been created by resemblances 1Ild differences between bronzes 1 he ri tllals

were enactments of bmily relationships embodied in or mediated bronzes with

distinctive visual characters

sets menrioned here contain pieces that show archaism or

jfmggu Among these is a highly unusual liom [()ll1b M 160 at Cuojiazhuang

R F J F T J C T H F P S T REVI

I i~llrl )1 I iddnl ((il~ illl 1lllldiL fit itll

lid 1ll111 Iwlg 1i1 121111 1( T hshy

l ltlLI froll1 lomh 11 ()() II (lIojilIhll1I1g

l tldl It 11 1I1g I knIIl I rolll h()llgshy

guo hlhlli )L1L lUll kJ()gll llljiulI()

1l )l)i IIi]dil~ IIXlf (f()tf~-lflllig IIII((il

IIlf1i~ IltJ)lllldll-II() JIIdU AtlOfujtr((

)d(~d( Irk-iiiI1 Lll tI lhuh1l1]ll 1()lraquo))

11 X I fig (L~

village Xiaotun at Anvang City that clearh- illmtrates an attempt on the parr of

rhe casrer ro evoke earlier bronze l1lodes of design I he vessel is a recrangular

flllgdillg Jflri (hgure 3) bur insread of being strongk angular like another late

Shang vessel in this romb (Figure 4) it i~ rounded and carries an imitation rope

handk Ihese fearures seem deliberate rekrences to a ceramic or basket form Ihe

most srriking uchaic rcrerence is the decoration in two bands one on the lid and

one on the body which reproduces rhe narrow bands of (-shaped scrolls seen on

early Shang hrol1les from Zhengzhou 11 Panlongcheng ~niur)N and the earlv

tombs at Anyang H Hut the dillg is dcrlnirelv nor a relic from an earlier era It

shares the same inscription seen on many of the other bronzls in rhe romb and was

presumahly made within a similar timl framl of not more than sa )0 years II In

addition the only orher pieces in comparahk forms are of the late Shang and early

Western ZhOll periods I

Ihe fl11gdillg (hgure 3) is all thl morl ITmarkable because it comes from a

tomb with a large number of vessels ofa Try difterenr aesthetic characreL Yet again

difterlncl is an imporrant and strongh- marked kature offhe set Contrasting with

thl dillg are a pair of Zl111~ and a pair ofji~1 (hgures ) and 6) All these

four haw highly angular square cross-secrions emphasized hy vertical flanges and

hgure 3b

Figure 40

period ca

at GlIojiazh

Zhongguo

Anyang Yin

nian-1992

chllbanshe

I

tl ft lith

OOII(T

llO jiltlJh~I Il~

lhong

njiuu)

he part of

crangular

lother late

Irion rope

form ]he

~e lid and

Is seell Oil

the early

ier era Ir

b and was

vears I JIl

and eark

es from a

Yet again

iring wirh

All these

Inges and

REVIVINC ANUENT ORNAIENT ND THE PIUSFNCF OE THF PST

1II l( (11L ~hHlg

12i1I1IHl Inn Irnlll lomh 11(1l

H CU)iiJlwlt1IlS YIj~L Jl n~1I1g tLl1J1L roll]

lholl~gto lhui kltlL ~11ll klOgU lnjitt-ll0 ql)~

A1j)dll~ iiXl (ifojid~Ifilg )IIIl5rj (NL

Jitlll~ Ii)) Ni k(tltrljlt

Chuhlllhl ll)l)~) f) K2 hf-

rl I

R F I F T I C THE I AS T

]igllrL -) rulglIJ Ill I-I) L-Ill

lung IwioL I IcOO B(I

]lIlll1 frOIll IOlllh t I ()() It

(1I0Ii1I111LlIlf- ) illll ll Il~ 1Ilg

I klLlil hOIll IIOllggllo hLllLli kLllshy

L 11111 klOf-U llljillllO 1~JdJl~ IYf(

(fI(d_-llidl~ Silt JI~dlJ ilJfI_~IJl~ 9Sl

IlllIlJ-1)()lIIJi l-i05fljtlf(( JtI()~tI()

(Plijillg lll II lllllhclllJl I ql)H)

p~(l lig ()-I

covered ilh inlricale Irolil wirh dismllllhered fearures BOlh lhese fearures and

rhe hackground arc tliled wirh minure angular scrolls Ihese angular forms and

rhe denselv Glsr surrlces show up rhe rounded and relarivelv plain riillg already

mell[ioned Such angular vessels srand our as rhe mosr uf1-ro-dare and visuallv

osrentalious thal the lomb owner could have commissioned in his day Moreover

rhe 21111 urry on rheir ilOulders small lllilllal heads wirh spiked horns a fearure

seen on relllarkabh few vessels and all or lhem with anglliar protlles or elaborare

decorarion or borh I

I hese square Tssels wirh deLliled designs were clearly popular wilh rhe elire and

arc found in orher well-equipped wmbs including Tomb M )4 ar Anyang Even

more relling is rhe compnison we un make wirh the wmb of hI Hao which also

cOll[ained square vessels in rhese specitlc clregoriesjitl and 21111 Surprisingly while

rhe vessels in Tomb 116() arc disrincdy smaller rhan rhose belonging ro hi Hao

rhe vessels in 114 compere vel well wirh rhose of rhe ROy~11 Consorr

Ihe vessels are nor simply high-qualirv conrainers for a given rimal bur markers

of affiliarion of belonging ro a parricular parr of rhe elire ar a parricular momell[ in

rime Moreover rhe sharing of vessel rypes wirh rhe royal household was probably

(11

II III lI11

1201l1IU

lilmh ll(fl ll

imu nlI1~

lOl1g~lO hlj111 klushy

IltbllO li~Jdjg ) JiIX

tlllttdi jlf ~fll( j (j8J

1Jt()1tfo

ca 111 fe 111 d

f(gtrI11S and

fing alreld~

IIld viualiv

Moreover

IS a fcatlln

elireand

lyang Evell

which also

ingly while

III Fu lbo

but markers

moment in

as probably

REVI(( AZClET ORIF A[) THE PRESECE OF THf- IST

Fiturc 6 1I~if III j lll hllg

plflolLcl 120() 1)(1middot rl)JlLl1 frnlll 1()lllh

~v11()O H (tlt)jlllmJn~ YIL ell 11 tl~

Hell]ll from lhonggun hlhll kClIlYdlll

kaogu yanjitLlO l~)flJlg ) lJX (fIr)Jd_~llfttil

SlltlJlgdll Jllttlllg j()8llJillll--J(() IJitlli idshy

()gfli~jll Jrlrtto ()vijillg lln Ll lIHlhUlll

1()n)I()~ I

also recognizable (0 hing iewLTs and thought to be lvidenr ro the

ancestral spirits Xe do not know how the~l a~pirations [0 own parricuLlI versions

of these categories of vl~sds Glme ro be shared by members this social group but

shared they were Sinn these prcsrigiou-Iooking were so widdy dcplo(d

musr presnmablv have been desired Xle can lte thcm as signds of solidarity

within a particular social grolll) and as cidencc of authority within the society or (he time But wc cannot diorll the lssels as signs from the essels as material

anCLlCts-the squareness and dense decoration were strollg material qualities Ihe

medium was the message And the roundedflllgdillg(Hgure 5) gained and gains its

special position hy being 1 counterpoint IO such angular pieces

Another aspect of iual displa C0l111110n to all three Shang rombs was the

presentation of matched groups ofgll and jllC to J1160 has sets of 10 while Ivl )4

has sets of9 Ihe numbers in fu Haos rornb mre enormous roval consort was

buried with 13 gll many of which were imcribed with names other thll1 her own

R F I l 1 I C T H F P S T

J o 101

1 11(1 I 1(1 l1~ I

~ IIW I~I

h~lIn nrJin~ of ~ t rnLln~uLn 5Jf H l 501 111 SjiH1~ pniod CL 1200 IH T [gt1-1 Jlcd 1OI~ Tomh

11()O (lljLlIhllll1g YinX1L ell hang ~l-UI1 from hOIl~~lI(l -h hlli k-~-liU) kll)gU Ylnjilhllo middotjJJytlfig

11XII

l()l)~) 1(HL

r

L

Figt

Gue

Guo

102

REV I V IJ C AJ C IE TOR A 1 F T n Tl1- P R F S E C F () F H F P S T

) ~

i I

I iN I~

FipHl l h) in~gt or 11 l (1 ILl N (Ill hIJ1l pniod --I l200 B( T Fll ilnJ from l~Hl1h 11 ()O ~1

(uojilIhutr- Ynxll n nmiddot~lI1g t LnlIl From Ihtll~1Uil h-Il~i kllh~lll1 kltl~ll 111 j U1I0 -ljj)d~ )Xl~

lJigtiI1i f~lJt(~ I Ni_o) Itjdj~ I ~))_ IJjff titf fitff Jrfog(I Hii JiI1~ l11U ( hlhI1~ItImiddot I t)~)x) 1

tU bIJlg

he

III

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

REIETIC THE PAST

carried it into the future also for if the past could in this way be brought into the

presel1t it could of course survive into the futureshy

We should not expect that messages expressed Lw the visual qualities of the

vessels to be of a kind that could be readily expressed in wotds Instead we are

confronted hy a difterent form of comnHlI1icHion and one that may have been

more suitable for the presentation of EU11ik position status and wealth than

words For power and status are not easily expressed verbally A particular rank

may be conferred on an individual in spllken words and in a document (such as a

bronze inscription) but if that status is to he widely recognized and sustained over

time some sort of visual display is probably needed Miliwry ranks or honorary

university degrees are validated h cerrihGltes but they are proclaimed by unitltmlls

or gowns and hoods In many societies expression in material terms prevailsshy

we too wdav make material choices in tvpes of car or tllrfl1S of dress to express

power and stams

We deploy arrdlCts metaphorically also A gold wedding ring with its co11tinuous

flmll in a ll1aterial that docs nor tarnish is 1 metaphor tl) the continuity and

endurance of marriage i ring on a finger also binds and reminds us of the bonds

of marriage I he material f(1rI11S that these claims take arc essential components of

a society embodying its values and its lspirations ) i society that values cars with

gtuggestiolls of speed related to fnruristic development puts weight Oil very different

aspects of value from one in which self-esteem WlS materialized in bronzes tl)

ofterings to past g~middotnerations

III ancient China power and stalus were necessarily reb ted to the unseen society

of the ancestors who were thought to be responsible tl)r ellSuring the success and

health of their descendants therdlJre at this date mllerial expressions of claims

flJr authority and rank would inevitablv have appeared in the lrreE1cts that fixl1Ied

components of rituals whereby comlllllnicltion with and rderences to the ancestors

were realized Vell hdllre tbe Shang period the Neolithic peoples of north China

seem to have emphasized nourishment of [he deltld as seen in their preparation of

exceptional ceramics For burial in tombs Banqueting rituals in which sumptuous

and very costlv bronze versions of cefltlmics were deployed mav have been one

outcome of this earlier practice

It is clear from inscriptions especially in early Vestern Zhou vessels that

many pieces were made at the behest of certain powerful members of tbe elite

t~)r offerings to specitic ancestors [he design of these individual bronzes may also

have been recognized by those in the inner circles of high-ranking families as being

linked with both patrons and forehears A whole set deployed in a banquet was in

~

1t into the

ies of the

ad we are

have been

alth than

ular rank

(such as a

lined over

honorary

uniforms

prevails-

to express

JIHinuous

nuity Jnd

the bonds

)onenrs of

cars with

Vdifterenr

lOmes fix

en societv

l(CeSS and

of claims

at tormed

ancestors

nh China

aration of

Jmptuous

been one

sseis that

f the elite

may also

5 as being

[ctwas ill

REVIVI0G A0 IE0T OR-AlE-T --D THE IRESE-CE OF THE PAST

this contexL a multivalent material expression of numerous relationships between

generations The carried by the essel set were also metaphorical in tht

the vessels carried the implication that the bonds between generations were as

sustaining as were the offerings of food

The Role ofArchaic Design on Vessels in

Shang and Zhou Dynasty Sets High ranking members of the elite under the Shang and the early Zhou owned

anywhere from 20 to 4) vessels that might be used together ro offer food and wine

to the dead relatives of the ElIllilv Ihese numbers are based on excavated vessel

groups from tombs RitUal bronzes were not made as burial goods hut were perhaps

interred so that their owners could continue to off(r banquets ro their ancestors

when they joined them in the afterlit( families mlt1 at any olle time han oWlled

even larger assemblages which tlwv displayed on altars bur did not hury

Three groups of Shang bronzes can be studied as chaLlcteristic examples One

assemblage of almost 200 vessels was t(lUnd in the tomb of fu Han A second

group has come from Tomb M 1 (lO at Cuojiazhuang village I~dT at Xiaotun

tg ncar Anvang and the other from I()llb M)4 in Anvang city Ihen were

45 vessels and bells ill 111 (lO and 4) in 1i4 All these display an exceptionally

high quality of bronze casting that can be associHed with royal patronage Illese

spectacular objects impress viewers roday just as they surelv impressed those who

saw them during the era when they were made they have heen the subject of

coulHless studies foclising 011 their fUllctiollS and the inscriptions rhey bear Bur

little attention has been cenrered on tbe variation of ornament within sets and

although individual vessels and categories h]Ve been examined in detail the visual

impact of rhe set as an ensemble of objects has been discussed only rarely Ihose

attending the rituals would have recognized links between vessels and persons

Certain bronzes were commissioned f(H a panicular ancestor while another might

have been owned b a relative Shape and dcor would thus havc been integrated

with familv relationships past and present Indeed I suggest that bronzes could

be seen as proxies tor people Parallels between vessels and ElIl1ily structures may

have been created by resemblances 1Ild differences between bronzes 1 he ri tllals

were enactments of bmily relationships embodied in or mediated bronzes with

distinctive visual characters

sets menrioned here contain pieces that show archaism or

jfmggu Among these is a highly unusual liom [()ll1b M 160 at Cuojiazhuang

R F J F T J C T H F P S T REVI

I i~llrl )1 I iddnl ((il~ illl 1lllldiL fit itll

lid 1ll111 Iwlg 1i1 121111 1( T hshy

l ltlLI froll1 lomh 11 ()() II (lIojilIhll1I1g

l tldl It 11 1I1g I knIIl I rolll h()llgshy

guo hlhlli )L1L lUll kJ()gll llljiulI()

1l )l)i IIi]dil~ IIXlf (f()tf~-lflllig IIII((il

IIlf1i~ IltJ)lllldll-II() JIIdU AtlOfujtr((

)d(~d( Irk-iiiI1 Lll tI lhuh1l1]ll 1()lraquo))

11 X I fig (L~

village Xiaotun at Anvang City that clearh- illmtrates an attempt on the parr of

rhe casrer ro evoke earlier bronze l1lodes of design I he vessel is a recrangular

flllgdillg Jflri (hgure 3) bur insread of being strongk angular like another late

Shang vessel in this romb (Figure 4) it i~ rounded and carries an imitation rope

handk Ihese fearures seem deliberate rekrences to a ceramic or basket form Ihe

most srriking uchaic rcrerence is the decoration in two bands one on the lid and

one on the body which reproduces rhe narrow bands of (-shaped scrolls seen on

early Shang hrol1les from Zhengzhou 11 Panlongcheng ~niur)N and the earlv

tombs at Anyang H Hut the dillg is dcrlnirelv nor a relic from an earlier era It

shares the same inscription seen on many of the other bronzls in rhe romb and was

presumahly made within a similar timl framl of not more than sa )0 years II In

addition the only orher pieces in comparahk forms are of the late Shang and early

Western ZhOll periods I

Ihe fl11gdillg (hgure 3) is all thl morl ITmarkable because it comes from a

tomb with a large number of vessels ofa Try difterenr aesthetic characreL Yet again

difterlncl is an imporrant and strongh- marked kature offhe set Contrasting with

thl dillg are a pair of Zl111~ and a pair ofji~1 (hgures ) and 6) All these

four haw highly angular square cross-secrions emphasized hy vertical flanges and

hgure 3b

Figure 40

period ca

at GlIojiazh

Zhongguo

Anyang Yin

nian-1992

chllbanshe

I

tl ft lith

OOII(T

llO jiltlJh~I Il~

lhong

njiuu)

he part of

crangular

lother late

Irion rope

form ]he

~e lid and

Is seell Oil

the early

ier era Ir

b and was

vears I JIl

and eark

es from a

Yet again

iring wirh

All these

Inges and

REVIVINC ANUENT ORNAIENT ND THE PIUSFNCF OE THF PST

1II l( (11L ~hHlg

12i1I1IHl Inn Irnlll lomh 11(1l

H CU)iiJlwlt1IlS YIj~L Jl n~1I1g tLl1J1L roll]

lholl~gto lhui kltlL ~11ll klOgU lnjitt-ll0 ql)~

A1j)dll~ iiXl (ifojid~Ifilg )IIIl5rj (NL

Jitlll~ Ii)) Ni k(tltrljlt

Chuhlllhl ll)l)~) f) K2 hf-

rl I

R F I F T I C THE I AS T

]igllrL -) rulglIJ Ill I-I) L-Ill

lung IwioL I IcOO B(I

]lIlll1 frOIll IOlllh t I ()() It

(1I0Ii1I111LlIlf- ) illll ll Il~ 1Ilg

I klLlil hOIll IIOllggllo hLllLli kLllshy

L 11111 klOf-U llljillllO 1~JdJl~ IYf(

(fI(d_-llidl~ Silt JI~dlJ ilJfI_~IJl~ 9Sl

IlllIlJ-1)()lIIJi l-i05fljtlf(( JtI()~tI()

(Plijillg lll II lllllhclllJl I ql)H)

p~(l lig ()-I

covered ilh inlricale Irolil wirh dismllllhered fearures BOlh lhese fearures and

rhe hackground arc tliled wirh minure angular scrolls Ihese angular forms and

rhe denselv Glsr surrlces show up rhe rounded and relarivelv plain riillg already

mell[ioned Such angular vessels srand our as rhe mosr uf1-ro-dare and visuallv

osrentalious thal the lomb owner could have commissioned in his day Moreover

rhe 21111 urry on rheir ilOulders small lllilllal heads wirh spiked horns a fearure

seen on relllarkabh few vessels and all or lhem with anglliar protlles or elaborare

decorarion or borh I

I hese square Tssels wirh deLliled designs were clearly popular wilh rhe elire and

arc found in orher well-equipped wmbs including Tomb M )4 ar Anyang Even

more relling is rhe compnison we un make wirh the wmb of hI Hao which also

cOll[ained square vessels in rhese specitlc clregoriesjitl and 21111 Surprisingly while

rhe vessels in Tomb 116() arc disrincdy smaller rhan rhose belonging ro hi Hao

rhe vessels in 114 compere vel well wirh rhose of rhe ROy~11 Consorr

Ihe vessels are nor simply high-qualirv conrainers for a given rimal bur markers

of affiliarion of belonging ro a parricular parr of rhe elire ar a parricular momell[ in

rime Moreover rhe sharing of vessel rypes wirh rhe royal household was probably

(11

II III lI11

1201l1IU

lilmh ll(fl ll

imu nlI1~

lOl1g~lO hlj111 klushy

IltbllO li~Jdjg ) JiIX

tlllttdi jlf ~fll( j (j8J

1Jt()1tfo

ca 111 fe 111 d

f(gtrI11S and

fing alreld~

IIld viualiv

Moreover

IS a fcatlln

elireand

lyang Evell

which also

ingly while

III Fu lbo

but markers

moment in

as probably

REVI(( AZClET ORIF A[) THE PRESECE OF THf- IST

Fiturc 6 1I~if III j lll hllg

plflolLcl 120() 1)(1middot rl)JlLl1 frnlll 1()lllh

~v11()O H (tlt)jlllmJn~ YIL ell 11 tl~

Hell]ll from lhonggun hlhll kClIlYdlll

kaogu yanjitLlO l~)flJlg ) lJX (fIr)Jd_~llfttil

SlltlJlgdll Jllttlllg j()8llJillll--J(() IJitlli idshy

()gfli~jll Jrlrtto ()vijillg lln Ll lIHlhUlll

1()n)I()~ I

also recognizable (0 hing iewLTs and thought to be lvidenr ro the

ancestral spirits Xe do not know how the~l a~pirations [0 own parricuLlI versions

of these categories of vl~sds Glme ro be shared by members this social group but

shared they were Sinn these prcsrigiou-Iooking were so widdy dcplo(d

musr presnmablv have been desired Xle can lte thcm as signds of solidarity

within a particular social grolll) and as cidencc of authority within the society or (he time But wc cannot diorll the lssels as signs from the essels as material

anCLlCts-the squareness and dense decoration were strollg material qualities Ihe

medium was the message And the roundedflllgdillg(Hgure 5) gained and gains its

special position hy being 1 counterpoint IO such angular pieces

Another aspect of iual displa C0l111110n to all three Shang rombs was the

presentation of matched groups ofgll and jllC to J1160 has sets of 10 while Ivl )4

has sets of9 Ihe numbers in fu Haos rornb mre enormous roval consort was

buried with 13 gll many of which were imcribed with names other thll1 her own

R F I l 1 I C T H F P S T

J o 101

1 11(1 I 1(1 l1~ I

~ IIW I~I

h~lIn nrJin~ of ~ t rnLln~uLn 5Jf H l 501 111 SjiH1~ pniod CL 1200 IH T [gt1-1 Jlcd 1OI~ Tomh

11()O (lljLlIhllll1g YinX1L ell hang ~l-UI1 from hOIl~~lI(l -h hlli k-~-liU) kll)gU Ylnjilhllo middotjJJytlfig

11XII

l()l)~) 1(HL

r

L

Figt

Gue

Guo

102

REV I V IJ C AJ C IE TOR A 1 F T n Tl1- P R F S E C F () F H F P S T

) ~

i I

I iN I~

FipHl l h) in~gt or 11 l (1 ILl N (Ill hIJ1l pniod --I l200 B( T Fll ilnJ from l~Hl1h 11 ()O ~1

(uojilIhutr- Ynxll n nmiddot~lI1g t LnlIl From Ihtll~1Uil h-Il~i kllh~lll1 kltl~ll 111 j U1I0 -ljj)d~ )Xl~

lJigtiI1i f~lJt(~ I Ni_o) Itjdj~ I ~))_ IJjff titf fitff Jrfog(I Hii JiI1~ l11U ( hlhI1~ItImiddot I t)~)x) 1

tU bIJlg

he

III

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

~

1t into the

ies of the

ad we are

have been

alth than

ular rank

(such as a

lined over

honorary

uniforms

prevails-

to express

JIHinuous

nuity Jnd

the bonds

)onenrs of

cars with

Vdifterenr

lOmes fix

en societv

l(CeSS and

of claims

at tormed

ancestors

nh China

aration of

Jmptuous

been one

sseis that

f the elite

may also

5 as being

[ctwas ill

REVIVI0G A0 IE0T OR-AlE-T --D THE IRESE-CE OF THE PAST

this contexL a multivalent material expression of numerous relationships between

generations The carried by the essel set were also metaphorical in tht

the vessels carried the implication that the bonds between generations were as

sustaining as were the offerings of food

The Role ofArchaic Design on Vessels in

Shang and Zhou Dynasty Sets High ranking members of the elite under the Shang and the early Zhou owned

anywhere from 20 to 4) vessels that might be used together ro offer food and wine

to the dead relatives of the ElIllilv Ihese numbers are based on excavated vessel

groups from tombs RitUal bronzes were not made as burial goods hut were perhaps

interred so that their owners could continue to off(r banquets ro their ancestors

when they joined them in the afterlit( families mlt1 at any olle time han oWlled

even larger assemblages which tlwv displayed on altars bur did not hury

Three groups of Shang bronzes can be studied as chaLlcteristic examples One

assemblage of almost 200 vessels was t(lUnd in the tomb of fu Han A second

group has come from Tomb M 1 (lO at Cuojiazhuang village I~dT at Xiaotun

tg ncar Anvang and the other from I()llb M)4 in Anvang city Ihen were

45 vessels and bells ill 111 (lO and 4) in 1i4 All these display an exceptionally

high quality of bronze casting that can be associHed with royal patronage Illese

spectacular objects impress viewers roday just as they surelv impressed those who

saw them during the era when they were made they have heen the subject of

coulHless studies foclising 011 their fUllctiollS and the inscriptions rhey bear Bur

little attention has been cenrered on tbe variation of ornament within sets and

although individual vessels and categories h]Ve been examined in detail the visual

impact of rhe set as an ensemble of objects has been discussed only rarely Ihose

attending the rituals would have recognized links between vessels and persons

Certain bronzes were commissioned f(H a panicular ancestor while another might

have been owned b a relative Shape and dcor would thus havc been integrated

with familv relationships past and present Indeed I suggest that bronzes could

be seen as proxies tor people Parallels between vessels and ElIl1ily structures may

have been created by resemblances 1Ild differences between bronzes 1 he ri tllals

were enactments of bmily relationships embodied in or mediated bronzes with

distinctive visual characters

sets menrioned here contain pieces that show archaism or

jfmggu Among these is a highly unusual liom [()ll1b M 160 at Cuojiazhuang

R F J F T J C T H F P S T REVI

I i~llrl )1 I iddnl ((il~ illl 1lllldiL fit itll

lid 1ll111 Iwlg 1i1 121111 1( T hshy

l ltlLI froll1 lomh 11 ()() II (lIojilIhll1I1g

l tldl It 11 1I1g I knIIl I rolll h()llgshy

guo hlhlli )L1L lUll kJ()gll llljiulI()

1l )l)i IIi]dil~ IIXlf (f()tf~-lflllig IIII((il

IIlf1i~ IltJ)lllldll-II() JIIdU AtlOfujtr((

)d(~d( Irk-iiiI1 Lll tI lhuh1l1]ll 1()lraquo))

11 X I fig (L~

village Xiaotun at Anvang City that clearh- illmtrates an attempt on the parr of

rhe casrer ro evoke earlier bronze l1lodes of design I he vessel is a recrangular

flllgdillg Jflri (hgure 3) bur insread of being strongk angular like another late

Shang vessel in this romb (Figure 4) it i~ rounded and carries an imitation rope

handk Ihese fearures seem deliberate rekrences to a ceramic or basket form Ihe

most srriking uchaic rcrerence is the decoration in two bands one on the lid and

one on the body which reproduces rhe narrow bands of (-shaped scrolls seen on

early Shang hrol1les from Zhengzhou 11 Panlongcheng ~niur)N and the earlv

tombs at Anyang H Hut the dillg is dcrlnirelv nor a relic from an earlier era It

shares the same inscription seen on many of the other bronzls in rhe romb and was

presumahly made within a similar timl framl of not more than sa )0 years II In

addition the only orher pieces in comparahk forms are of the late Shang and early

Western ZhOll periods I

Ihe fl11gdillg (hgure 3) is all thl morl ITmarkable because it comes from a

tomb with a large number of vessels ofa Try difterenr aesthetic characreL Yet again

difterlncl is an imporrant and strongh- marked kature offhe set Contrasting with

thl dillg are a pair of Zl111~ and a pair ofji~1 (hgures ) and 6) All these

four haw highly angular square cross-secrions emphasized hy vertical flanges and

hgure 3b

Figure 40

period ca

at GlIojiazh

Zhongguo

Anyang Yin

nian-1992

chllbanshe

I

tl ft lith

OOII(T

llO jiltlJh~I Il~

lhong

njiuu)

he part of

crangular

lother late

Irion rope

form ]he

~e lid and

Is seell Oil

the early

ier era Ir

b and was

vears I JIl

and eark

es from a

Yet again

iring wirh

All these

Inges and

REVIVINC ANUENT ORNAIENT ND THE PIUSFNCF OE THF PST

1II l( (11L ~hHlg

12i1I1IHl Inn Irnlll lomh 11(1l

H CU)iiJlwlt1IlS YIj~L Jl n~1I1g tLl1J1L roll]

lholl~gto lhui kltlL ~11ll klOgU lnjitt-ll0 ql)~

A1j)dll~ iiXl (ifojid~Ifilg )IIIl5rj (NL

Jitlll~ Ii)) Ni k(tltrljlt

Chuhlllhl ll)l)~) f) K2 hf-

rl I

R F I F T I C THE I AS T

]igllrL -) rulglIJ Ill I-I) L-Ill

lung IwioL I IcOO B(I

]lIlll1 frOIll IOlllh t I ()() It

(1I0Ii1I111LlIlf- ) illll ll Il~ 1Ilg

I klLlil hOIll IIOllggllo hLllLli kLllshy

L 11111 klOf-U llljillllO 1~JdJl~ IYf(

(fI(d_-llidl~ Silt JI~dlJ ilJfI_~IJl~ 9Sl

IlllIlJ-1)()lIIJi l-i05fljtlf(( JtI()~tI()

(Plijillg lll II lllllhclllJl I ql)H)

p~(l lig ()-I

covered ilh inlricale Irolil wirh dismllllhered fearures BOlh lhese fearures and

rhe hackground arc tliled wirh minure angular scrolls Ihese angular forms and

rhe denselv Glsr surrlces show up rhe rounded and relarivelv plain riillg already

mell[ioned Such angular vessels srand our as rhe mosr uf1-ro-dare and visuallv

osrentalious thal the lomb owner could have commissioned in his day Moreover

rhe 21111 urry on rheir ilOulders small lllilllal heads wirh spiked horns a fearure

seen on relllarkabh few vessels and all or lhem with anglliar protlles or elaborare

decorarion or borh I

I hese square Tssels wirh deLliled designs were clearly popular wilh rhe elire and

arc found in orher well-equipped wmbs including Tomb M )4 ar Anyang Even

more relling is rhe compnison we un make wirh the wmb of hI Hao which also

cOll[ained square vessels in rhese specitlc clregoriesjitl and 21111 Surprisingly while

rhe vessels in Tomb 116() arc disrincdy smaller rhan rhose belonging ro hi Hao

rhe vessels in 114 compere vel well wirh rhose of rhe ROy~11 Consorr

Ihe vessels are nor simply high-qualirv conrainers for a given rimal bur markers

of affiliarion of belonging ro a parricular parr of rhe elire ar a parricular momell[ in

rime Moreover rhe sharing of vessel rypes wirh rhe royal household was probably

(11

II III lI11

1201l1IU

lilmh ll(fl ll

imu nlI1~

lOl1g~lO hlj111 klushy

IltbllO li~Jdjg ) JiIX

tlllttdi jlf ~fll( j (j8J

1Jt()1tfo

ca 111 fe 111 d

f(gtrI11S and

fing alreld~

IIld viualiv

Moreover

IS a fcatlln

elireand

lyang Evell

which also

ingly while

III Fu lbo

but markers

moment in

as probably

REVI(( AZClET ORIF A[) THE PRESECE OF THf- IST

Fiturc 6 1I~if III j lll hllg

plflolLcl 120() 1)(1middot rl)JlLl1 frnlll 1()lllh

~v11()O H (tlt)jlllmJn~ YIL ell 11 tl~

Hell]ll from lhonggun hlhll kClIlYdlll

kaogu yanjitLlO l~)flJlg ) lJX (fIr)Jd_~llfttil

SlltlJlgdll Jllttlllg j()8llJillll--J(() IJitlli idshy

()gfli~jll Jrlrtto ()vijillg lln Ll lIHlhUlll

1()n)I()~ I

also recognizable (0 hing iewLTs and thought to be lvidenr ro the

ancestral spirits Xe do not know how the~l a~pirations [0 own parricuLlI versions

of these categories of vl~sds Glme ro be shared by members this social group but

shared they were Sinn these prcsrigiou-Iooking were so widdy dcplo(d

musr presnmablv have been desired Xle can lte thcm as signds of solidarity

within a particular social grolll) and as cidencc of authority within the society or (he time But wc cannot diorll the lssels as signs from the essels as material

anCLlCts-the squareness and dense decoration were strollg material qualities Ihe

medium was the message And the roundedflllgdillg(Hgure 5) gained and gains its

special position hy being 1 counterpoint IO such angular pieces

Another aspect of iual displa C0l111110n to all three Shang rombs was the

presentation of matched groups ofgll and jllC to J1160 has sets of 10 while Ivl )4

has sets of9 Ihe numbers in fu Haos rornb mre enormous roval consort was

buried with 13 gll many of which were imcribed with names other thll1 her own

R F I l 1 I C T H F P S T

J o 101

1 11(1 I 1(1 l1~ I

~ IIW I~I

h~lIn nrJin~ of ~ t rnLln~uLn 5Jf H l 501 111 SjiH1~ pniod CL 1200 IH T [gt1-1 Jlcd 1OI~ Tomh

11()O (lljLlIhllll1g YinX1L ell hang ~l-UI1 from hOIl~~lI(l -h hlli k-~-liU) kll)gU Ylnjilhllo middotjJJytlfig

11XII

l()l)~) 1(HL

r

L

Figt

Gue

Guo

102

REV I V IJ C AJ C IE TOR A 1 F T n Tl1- P R F S E C F () F H F P S T

) ~

i I

I iN I~

FipHl l h) in~gt or 11 l (1 ILl N (Ill hIJ1l pniod --I l200 B( T Fll ilnJ from l~Hl1h 11 ()O ~1

(uojilIhutr- Ynxll n nmiddot~lI1g t LnlIl From Ihtll~1Uil h-Il~i kllh~lll1 kltl~ll 111 j U1I0 -ljj)d~ )Xl~

lJigtiI1i f~lJt(~ I Ni_o) Itjdj~ I ~))_ IJjff titf fitff Jrfog(I Hii JiI1~ l11U ( hlhI1~ItImiddot I t)~)x) 1

tU bIJlg

he

III

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

R F J F T J C T H F P S T REVI

I i~llrl )1 I iddnl ((il~ illl 1lllldiL fit itll

lid 1ll111 Iwlg 1i1 121111 1( T hshy

l ltlLI froll1 lomh 11 ()() II (lIojilIhll1I1g

l tldl It 11 1I1g I knIIl I rolll h()llgshy

guo hlhlli )L1L lUll kJ()gll llljiulI()

1l )l)i IIi]dil~ IIXlf (f()tf~-lflllig IIII((il

IIlf1i~ IltJ)lllldll-II() JIIdU AtlOfujtr((

)d(~d( Irk-iiiI1 Lll tI lhuh1l1]ll 1()lraquo))

11 X I fig (L~

village Xiaotun at Anvang City that clearh- illmtrates an attempt on the parr of

rhe casrer ro evoke earlier bronze l1lodes of design I he vessel is a recrangular

flllgdillg Jflri (hgure 3) bur insread of being strongk angular like another late

Shang vessel in this romb (Figure 4) it i~ rounded and carries an imitation rope

handk Ihese fearures seem deliberate rekrences to a ceramic or basket form Ihe

most srriking uchaic rcrerence is the decoration in two bands one on the lid and

one on the body which reproduces rhe narrow bands of (-shaped scrolls seen on

early Shang hrol1les from Zhengzhou 11 Panlongcheng ~niur)N and the earlv

tombs at Anyang H Hut the dillg is dcrlnirelv nor a relic from an earlier era It

shares the same inscription seen on many of the other bronzls in rhe romb and was

presumahly made within a similar timl framl of not more than sa )0 years II In

addition the only orher pieces in comparahk forms are of the late Shang and early

Western ZhOll periods I

Ihe fl11gdillg (hgure 3) is all thl morl ITmarkable because it comes from a

tomb with a large number of vessels ofa Try difterenr aesthetic characreL Yet again

difterlncl is an imporrant and strongh- marked kature offhe set Contrasting with

thl dillg are a pair of Zl111~ and a pair ofji~1 (hgures ) and 6) All these

four haw highly angular square cross-secrions emphasized hy vertical flanges and

hgure 3b

Figure 40

period ca

at GlIojiazh

Zhongguo

Anyang Yin

nian-1992

chllbanshe

I

tl ft lith

OOII(T

llO jiltlJh~I Il~

lhong

njiuu)

he part of

crangular

lother late

Irion rope

form ]he

~e lid and

Is seell Oil

the early

ier era Ir

b and was

vears I JIl

and eark

es from a

Yet again

iring wirh

All these

Inges and

REVIVINC ANUENT ORNAIENT ND THE PIUSFNCF OE THF PST

1II l( (11L ~hHlg

12i1I1IHl Inn Irnlll lomh 11(1l

H CU)iiJlwlt1IlS YIj~L Jl n~1I1g tLl1J1L roll]

lholl~gto lhui kltlL ~11ll klOgU lnjitt-ll0 ql)~

A1j)dll~ iiXl (ifojid~Ifilg )IIIl5rj (NL

Jitlll~ Ii)) Ni k(tltrljlt

Chuhlllhl ll)l)~) f) K2 hf-

rl I

R F I F T I C THE I AS T

]igllrL -) rulglIJ Ill I-I) L-Ill

lung IwioL I IcOO B(I

]lIlll1 frOIll IOlllh t I ()() It

(1I0Ii1I111LlIlf- ) illll ll Il~ 1Ilg

I klLlil hOIll IIOllggllo hLllLli kLllshy

L 11111 klOf-U llljillllO 1~JdJl~ IYf(

(fI(d_-llidl~ Silt JI~dlJ ilJfI_~IJl~ 9Sl

IlllIlJ-1)()lIIJi l-i05fljtlf(( JtI()~tI()

(Plijillg lll II lllllhclllJl I ql)H)

p~(l lig ()-I

covered ilh inlricale Irolil wirh dismllllhered fearures BOlh lhese fearures and

rhe hackground arc tliled wirh minure angular scrolls Ihese angular forms and

rhe denselv Glsr surrlces show up rhe rounded and relarivelv plain riillg already

mell[ioned Such angular vessels srand our as rhe mosr uf1-ro-dare and visuallv

osrentalious thal the lomb owner could have commissioned in his day Moreover

rhe 21111 urry on rheir ilOulders small lllilllal heads wirh spiked horns a fearure

seen on relllarkabh few vessels and all or lhem with anglliar protlles or elaborare

decorarion or borh I

I hese square Tssels wirh deLliled designs were clearly popular wilh rhe elire and

arc found in orher well-equipped wmbs including Tomb M )4 ar Anyang Even

more relling is rhe compnison we un make wirh the wmb of hI Hao which also

cOll[ained square vessels in rhese specitlc clregoriesjitl and 21111 Surprisingly while

rhe vessels in Tomb 116() arc disrincdy smaller rhan rhose belonging ro hi Hao

rhe vessels in 114 compere vel well wirh rhose of rhe ROy~11 Consorr

Ihe vessels are nor simply high-qualirv conrainers for a given rimal bur markers

of affiliarion of belonging ro a parricular parr of rhe elire ar a parricular momell[ in

rime Moreover rhe sharing of vessel rypes wirh rhe royal household was probably

(11

II III lI11

1201l1IU

lilmh ll(fl ll

imu nlI1~

lOl1g~lO hlj111 klushy

IltbllO li~Jdjg ) JiIX

tlllttdi jlf ~fll( j (j8J

1Jt()1tfo

ca 111 fe 111 d

f(gtrI11S and

fing alreld~

IIld viualiv

Moreover

IS a fcatlln

elireand

lyang Evell

which also

ingly while

III Fu lbo

but markers

moment in

as probably

REVI(( AZClET ORIF A[) THE PRESECE OF THf- IST

Fiturc 6 1I~if III j lll hllg

plflolLcl 120() 1)(1middot rl)JlLl1 frnlll 1()lllh

~v11()O H (tlt)jlllmJn~ YIL ell 11 tl~

Hell]ll from lhonggun hlhll kClIlYdlll

kaogu yanjitLlO l~)flJlg ) lJX (fIr)Jd_~llfttil

SlltlJlgdll Jllttlllg j()8llJillll--J(() IJitlli idshy

()gfli~jll Jrlrtto ()vijillg lln Ll lIHlhUlll

1()n)I()~ I

also recognizable (0 hing iewLTs and thought to be lvidenr ro the

ancestral spirits Xe do not know how the~l a~pirations [0 own parricuLlI versions

of these categories of vl~sds Glme ro be shared by members this social group but

shared they were Sinn these prcsrigiou-Iooking were so widdy dcplo(d

musr presnmablv have been desired Xle can lte thcm as signds of solidarity

within a particular social grolll) and as cidencc of authority within the society or (he time But wc cannot diorll the lssels as signs from the essels as material

anCLlCts-the squareness and dense decoration were strollg material qualities Ihe

medium was the message And the roundedflllgdillg(Hgure 5) gained and gains its

special position hy being 1 counterpoint IO such angular pieces

Another aspect of iual displa C0l111110n to all three Shang rombs was the

presentation of matched groups ofgll and jllC to J1160 has sets of 10 while Ivl )4

has sets of9 Ihe numbers in fu Haos rornb mre enormous roval consort was

buried with 13 gll many of which were imcribed with names other thll1 her own

R F I l 1 I C T H F P S T

J o 101

1 11(1 I 1(1 l1~ I

~ IIW I~I

h~lIn nrJin~ of ~ t rnLln~uLn 5Jf H l 501 111 SjiH1~ pniod CL 1200 IH T [gt1-1 Jlcd 1OI~ Tomh

11()O (lljLlIhllll1g YinX1L ell hang ~l-UI1 from hOIl~~lI(l -h hlli k-~-liU) kll)gU Ylnjilhllo middotjJJytlfig

11XII

l()l)~) 1(HL

r

L

Figt

Gue

Guo

102

REV I V IJ C AJ C IE TOR A 1 F T n Tl1- P R F S E C F () F H F P S T

) ~

i I

I iN I~

FipHl l h) in~gt or 11 l (1 ILl N (Ill hIJ1l pniod --I l200 B( T Fll ilnJ from l~Hl1h 11 ()O ~1

(uojilIhutr- Ynxll n nmiddot~lI1g t LnlIl From Ihtll~1Uil h-Il~i kllh~lll1 kltl~ll 111 j U1I0 -ljj)d~ )Xl~

lJigtiI1i f~lJt(~ I Ni_o) Itjdj~ I ~))_ IJjff titf fitff Jrfog(I Hii JiI1~ l11U ( hlhI1~ItImiddot I t)~)x) 1

tU bIJlg

he

III

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

I

tl ft lith

OOII(T

llO jiltlJh~I Il~

lhong

njiuu)

he part of

crangular

lother late

Irion rope

form ]he

~e lid and

Is seell Oil

the early

ier era Ir

b and was

vears I JIl

and eark

es from a

Yet again

iring wirh

All these

Inges and

REVIVINC ANUENT ORNAIENT ND THE PIUSFNCF OE THF PST

1II l( (11L ~hHlg

12i1I1IHl Inn Irnlll lomh 11(1l

H CU)iiJlwlt1IlS YIj~L Jl n~1I1g tLl1J1L roll]

lholl~gto lhui kltlL ~11ll klOgU lnjitt-ll0 ql)~

A1j)dll~ iiXl (ifojid~Ifilg )IIIl5rj (NL

Jitlll~ Ii)) Ni k(tltrljlt

Chuhlllhl ll)l)~) f) K2 hf-

rl I

R F I F T I C THE I AS T

]igllrL -) rulglIJ Ill I-I) L-Ill

lung IwioL I IcOO B(I

]lIlll1 frOIll IOlllh t I ()() It

(1I0Ii1I111LlIlf- ) illll ll Il~ 1Ilg

I klLlil hOIll IIOllggllo hLllLli kLllshy

L 11111 klOf-U llljillllO 1~JdJl~ IYf(

(fI(d_-llidl~ Silt JI~dlJ ilJfI_~IJl~ 9Sl

IlllIlJ-1)()lIIJi l-i05fljtlf(( JtI()~tI()

(Plijillg lll II lllllhclllJl I ql)H)

p~(l lig ()-I

covered ilh inlricale Irolil wirh dismllllhered fearures BOlh lhese fearures and

rhe hackground arc tliled wirh minure angular scrolls Ihese angular forms and

rhe denselv Glsr surrlces show up rhe rounded and relarivelv plain riillg already

mell[ioned Such angular vessels srand our as rhe mosr uf1-ro-dare and visuallv

osrentalious thal the lomb owner could have commissioned in his day Moreover

rhe 21111 urry on rheir ilOulders small lllilllal heads wirh spiked horns a fearure

seen on relllarkabh few vessels and all or lhem with anglliar protlles or elaborare

decorarion or borh I

I hese square Tssels wirh deLliled designs were clearly popular wilh rhe elire and

arc found in orher well-equipped wmbs including Tomb M )4 ar Anyang Even

more relling is rhe compnison we un make wirh the wmb of hI Hao which also

cOll[ained square vessels in rhese specitlc clregoriesjitl and 21111 Surprisingly while

rhe vessels in Tomb 116() arc disrincdy smaller rhan rhose belonging ro hi Hao

rhe vessels in 114 compere vel well wirh rhose of rhe ROy~11 Consorr

Ihe vessels are nor simply high-qualirv conrainers for a given rimal bur markers

of affiliarion of belonging ro a parricular parr of rhe elire ar a parricular momell[ in

rime Moreover rhe sharing of vessel rypes wirh rhe royal household was probably

(11

II III lI11

1201l1IU

lilmh ll(fl ll

imu nlI1~

lOl1g~lO hlj111 klushy

IltbllO li~Jdjg ) JiIX

tlllttdi jlf ~fll( j (j8J

1Jt()1tfo

ca 111 fe 111 d

f(gtrI11S and

fing alreld~

IIld viualiv

Moreover

IS a fcatlln

elireand

lyang Evell

which also

ingly while

III Fu lbo

but markers

moment in

as probably

REVI(( AZClET ORIF A[) THE PRESECE OF THf- IST

Fiturc 6 1I~if III j lll hllg

plflolLcl 120() 1)(1middot rl)JlLl1 frnlll 1()lllh

~v11()O H (tlt)jlllmJn~ YIL ell 11 tl~

Hell]ll from lhonggun hlhll kClIlYdlll

kaogu yanjitLlO l~)flJlg ) lJX (fIr)Jd_~llfttil

SlltlJlgdll Jllttlllg j()8llJillll--J(() IJitlli idshy

()gfli~jll Jrlrtto ()vijillg lln Ll lIHlhUlll

1()n)I()~ I

also recognizable (0 hing iewLTs and thought to be lvidenr ro the

ancestral spirits Xe do not know how the~l a~pirations [0 own parricuLlI versions

of these categories of vl~sds Glme ro be shared by members this social group but

shared they were Sinn these prcsrigiou-Iooking were so widdy dcplo(d

musr presnmablv have been desired Xle can lte thcm as signds of solidarity

within a particular social grolll) and as cidencc of authority within the society or (he time But wc cannot diorll the lssels as signs from the essels as material

anCLlCts-the squareness and dense decoration were strollg material qualities Ihe

medium was the message And the roundedflllgdillg(Hgure 5) gained and gains its

special position hy being 1 counterpoint IO such angular pieces

Another aspect of iual displa C0l111110n to all three Shang rombs was the

presentation of matched groups ofgll and jllC to J1160 has sets of 10 while Ivl )4

has sets of9 Ihe numbers in fu Haos rornb mre enormous roval consort was

buried with 13 gll many of which were imcribed with names other thll1 her own

R F I l 1 I C T H F P S T

J o 101

1 11(1 I 1(1 l1~ I

~ IIW I~I

h~lIn nrJin~ of ~ t rnLln~uLn 5Jf H l 501 111 SjiH1~ pniod CL 1200 IH T [gt1-1 Jlcd 1OI~ Tomh

11()O (lljLlIhllll1g YinX1L ell hang ~l-UI1 from hOIl~~lI(l -h hlli k-~-liU) kll)gU Ylnjilhllo middotjJJytlfig

11XII

l()l)~) 1(HL

r

L

Figt

Gue

Guo

102

REV I V IJ C AJ C IE TOR A 1 F T n Tl1- P R F S E C F () F H F P S T

) ~

i I

I iN I~

FipHl l h) in~gt or 11 l (1 ILl N (Ill hIJ1l pniod --I l200 B( T Fll ilnJ from l~Hl1h 11 ()O ~1

(uojilIhutr- Ynxll n nmiddot~lI1g t LnlIl From Ihtll~1Uil h-Il~i kllh~lll1 kltl~ll 111 j U1I0 -ljj)d~ )Xl~

lJigtiI1i f~lJt(~ I Ni_o) Itjdj~ I ~))_ IJjff titf fitff Jrfog(I Hii JiI1~ l11U ( hlhI1~ItImiddot I t)~)x) 1

tU bIJlg

he

III

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

R F I F T I C THE I AS T

]igllrL -) rulglIJ Ill I-I) L-Ill

lung IwioL I IcOO B(I

]lIlll1 frOIll IOlllh t I ()() It

(1I0Ii1I111LlIlf- ) illll ll Il~ 1Ilg

I klLlil hOIll IIOllggllo hLllLli kLllshy

L 11111 klOf-U llljillllO 1~JdJl~ IYf(

(fI(d_-llidl~ Silt JI~dlJ ilJfI_~IJl~ 9Sl

IlllIlJ-1)()lIIJi l-i05fljtlf(( JtI()~tI()

(Plijillg lll II lllllhclllJl I ql)H)

p~(l lig ()-I

covered ilh inlricale Irolil wirh dismllllhered fearures BOlh lhese fearures and

rhe hackground arc tliled wirh minure angular scrolls Ihese angular forms and

rhe denselv Glsr surrlces show up rhe rounded and relarivelv plain riillg already

mell[ioned Such angular vessels srand our as rhe mosr uf1-ro-dare and visuallv

osrentalious thal the lomb owner could have commissioned in his day Moreover

rhe 21111 urry on rheir ilOulders small lllilllal heads wirh spiked horns a fearure

seen on relllarkabh few vessels and all or lhem with anglliar protlles or elaborare

decorarion or borh I

I hese square Tssels wirh deLliled designs were clearly popular wilh rhe elire and

arc found in orher well-equipped wmbs including Tomb M )4 ar Anyang Even

more relling is rhe compnison we un make wirh the wmb of hI Hao which also

cOll[ained square vessels in rhese specitlc clregoriesjitl and 21111 Surprisingly while

rhe vessels in Tomb 116() arc disrincdy smaller rhan rhose belonging ro hi Hao

rhe vessels in 114 compere vel well wirh rhose of rhe ROy~11 Consorr

Ihe vessels are nor simply high-qualirv conrainers for a given rimal bur markers

of affiliarion of belonging ro a parricular parr of rhe elire ar a parricular momell[ in

rime Moreover rhe sharing of vessel rypes wirh rhe royal household was probably

(11

II III lI11

1201l1IU

lilmh ll(fl ll

imu nlI1~

lOl1g~lO hlj111 klushy

IltbllO li~Jdjg ) JiIX

tlllttdi jlf ~fll( j (j8J

1Jt()1tfo

ca 111 fe 111 d

f(gtrI11S and

fing alreld~

IIld viualiv

Moreover

IS a fcatlln

elireand

lyang Evell

which also

ingly while

III Fu lbo

but markers

moment in

as probably

REVI(( AZClET ORIF A[) THE PRESECE OF THf- IST

Fiturc 6 1I~if III j lll hllg

plflolLcl 120() 1)(1middot rl)JlLl1 frnlll 1()lllh

~v11()O H (tlt)jlllmJn~ YIL ell 11 tl~

Hell]ll from lhonggun hlhll kClIlYdlll

kaogu yanjitLlO l~)flJlg ) lJX (fIr)Jd_~llfttil

SlltlJlgdll Jllttlllg j()8llJillll--J(() IJitlli idshy

()gfli~jll Jrlrtto ()vijillg lln Ll lIHlhUlll

1()n)I()~ I

also recognizable (0 hing iewLTs and thought to be lvidenr ro the

ancestral spirits Xe do not know how the~l a~pirations [0 own parricuLlI versions

of these categories of vl~sds Glme ro be shared by members this social group but

shared they were Sinn these prcsrigiou-Iooking were so widdy dcplo(d

musr presnmablv have been desired Xle can lte thcm as signds of solidarity

within a particular social grolll) and as cidencc of authority within the society or (he time But wc cannot diorll the lssels as signs from the essels as material

anCLlCts-the squareness and dense decoration were strollg material qualities Ihe

medium was the message And the roundedflllgdillg(Hgure 5) gained and gains its

special position hy being 1 counterpoint IO such angular pieces

Another aspect of iual displa C0l111110n to all three Shang rombs was the

presentation of matched groups ofgll and jllC to J1160 has sets of 10 while Ivl )4

has sets of9 Ihe numbers in fu Haos rornb mre enormous roval consort was

buried with 13 gll many of which were imcribed with names other thll1 her own

R F I l 1 I C T H F P S T

J o 101

1 11(1 I 1(1 l1~ I

~ IIW I~I

h~lIn nrJin~ of ~ t rnLln~uLn 5Jf H l 501 111 SjiH1~ pniod CL 1200 IH T [gt1-1 Jlcd 1OI~ Tomh

11()O (lljLlIhllll1g YinX1L ell hang ~l-UI1 from hOIl~~lI(l -h hlli k-~-liU) kll)gU Ylnjilhllo middotjJJytlfig

11XII

l()l)~) 1(HL

r

L

Figt

Gue

Guo

102

REV I V IJ C AJ C IE TOR A 1 F T n Tl1- P R F S E C F () F H F P S T

) ~

i I

I iN I~

FipHl l h) in~gt or 11 l (1 ILl N (Ill hIJ1l pniod --I l200 B( T Fll ilnJ from l~Hl1h 11 ()O ~1

(uojilIhutr- Ynxll n nmiddot~lI1g t LnlIl From Ihtll~1Uil h-Il~i kllh~lll1 kltl~ll 111 j U1I0 -ljj)d~ )Xl~

lJigtiI1i f~lJt(~ I Ni_o) Itjdj~ I ~))_ IJjff titf fitff Jrfog(I Hii JiI1~ l11U ( hlhI1~ItImiddot I t)~)x) 1

tU bIJlg

he

III

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

II III lI11

1201l1IU

lilmh ll(fl ll

imu nlI1~

lOl1g~lO hlj111 klushy

IltbllO li~Jdjg ) JiIX

tlllttdi jlf ~fll( j (j8J

1Jt()1tfo

ca 111 fe 111 d

f(gtrI11S and

fing alreld~

IIld viualiv

Moreover

IS a fcatlln

elireand

lyang Evell

which also

ingly while

III Fu lbo

but markers

moment in

as probably

REVI(( AZClET ORIF A[) THE PRESECE OF THf- IST

Fiturc 6 1I~if III j lll hllg

plflolLcl 120() 1)(1middot rl)JlLl1 frnlll 1()lllh

~v11()O H (tlt)jlllmJn~ YIL ell 11 tl~

Hell]ll from lhonggun hlhll kClIlYdlll

kaogu yanjitLlO l~)flJlg ) lJX (fIr)Jd_~llfttil

SlltlJlgdll Jllttlllg j()8llJillll--J(() IJitlli idshy

()gfli~jll Jrlrtto ()vijillg lln Ll lIHlhUlll

1()n)I()~ I

also recognizable (0 hing iewLTs and thought to be lvidenr ro the

ancestral spirits Xe do not know how the~l a~pirations [0 own parricuLlI versions

of these categories of vl~sds Glme ro be shared by members this social group but

shared they were Sinn these prcsrigiou-Iooking were so widdy dcplo(d

musr presnmablv have been desired Xle can lte thcm as signds of solidarity

within a particular social grolll) and as cidencc of authority within the society or (he time But wc cannot diorll the lssels as signs from the essels as material

anCLlCts-the squareness and dense decoration were strollg material qualities Ihe

medium was the message And the roundedflllgdillg(Hgure 5) gained and gains its

special position hy being 1 counterpoint IO such angular pieces

Another aspect of iual displa C0l111110n to all three Shang rombs was the

presentation of matched groups ofgll and jllC to J1160 has sets of 10 while Ivl )4

has sets of9 Ihe numbers in fu Haos rornb mre enormous roval consort was

buried with 13 gll many of which were imcribed with names other thll1 her own

R F I l 1 I C T H F P S T

J o 101

1 11(1 I 1(1 l1~ I

~ IIW I~I

h~lIn nrJin~ of ~ t rnLln~uLn 5Jf H l 501 111 SjiH1~ pniod CL 1200 IH T [gt1-1 Jlcd 1OI~ Tomh

11()O (lljLlIhllll1g YinX1L ell hang ~l-UI1 from hOIl~~lI(l -h hlli k-~-liU) kll)gU Ylnjilhllo middotjJJytlfig

11XII

l()l)~) 1(HL

r

L

Figt

Gue

Guo

102

REV I V IJ C AJ C IE TOR A 1 F T n Tl1- P R F S E C F () F H F P S T

) ~

i I

I iN I~

FipHl l h) in~gt or 11 l (1 ILl N (Ill hIJ1l pniod --I l200 B( T Fll ilnJ from l~Hl1h 11 ()O ~1

(uojilIhutr- Ynxll n nmiddot~lI1g t LnlIl From Ihtll~1Uil h-Il~i kllh~lll1 kltl~ll 111 j U1I0 -ljj)d~ )Xl~

lJigtiI1i f~lJt(~ I Ni_o) Itjdj~ I ~))_ IJjff titf fitff Jrfog(I Hii JiI1~ l11U ( hlhI1~ItImiddot I t)~)x) 1

tU bIJlg

he

III

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

R F I l 1 I C T H F P S T

J o 101

1 11(1 I 1(1 l1~ I

~ IIW I~I

h~lIn nrJin~ of ~ t rnLln~uLn 5Jf H l 501 111 SjiH1~ pniod CL 1200 IH T [gt1-1 Jlcd 1OI~ Tomh

11()O (lljLlIhllll1g YinX1L ell hang ~l-UI1 from hOIl~~lI(l -h hlli k-~-liU) kll)gU Ylnjilhllo middotjJJytlfig

11XII

l()l)~) 1(HL

r

L

Figt

Gue

Guo

102

REV I V IJ C AJ C IE TOR A 1 F T n Tl1- P R F S E C F () F H F P S T

) ~

i I

I iN I~

FipHl l h) in~gt or 11 l (1 ILl N (Ill hIJ1l pniod --I l200 B( T Fll ilnJ from l~Hl1h 11 ()O ~1

(uojilIhutr- Ynxll n nmiddot~lI1g t LnlIl From Ihtll~1Uil h-Il~i kllh~lll1 kltl~ll 111 j U1I0 -ljj)d~ )Xl~

lJigtiI1i f~lJt(~ I Ni_o) Itjdj~ I ~))_ IJjff titf fitff Jrfog(I Hii JiI1~ l11U ( hlhI1~ItImiddot I t)~)x) 1

tU bIJlg

he

III

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

REV I V IJ C AJ C IE TOR A 1 F T n Tl1- P R F S E C F () F H F P S T

) ~

i I

I iN I~

FipHl l h) in~gt or 11 l (1 ILl N (Ill hIJ1l pniod --I l200 B( T Fll ilnJ from l~Hl1h 11 ()O ~1

(uojilIhutr- Ynxll n nmiddot~lI1g t LnlIl From Ihtll~1Uil h-Il~i kllh~lll1 kltl~ll 111 j U1I0 -ljj)d~ )Xl~

lJigtiI1i f~lJt(~ I Ni_o) Itjdj~ I ~))_ IJjff titf fitff Jrfog(I Hii JiI1~ l11U ( hlhI1~ItImiddot I t)~)x) 1

tU bIJlg

he

III

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

REI E T I C T H F I A S T

I he standard number in a set ofgu seems to have been between 9 and 12 Ihey were

matched with equal numbers of 111e occupant ofTomb 1 1GO again stands our

by owning not the llsual circular-section gil but ones of square section (Figure

and matching these with an unusual type the (figure H) rather

than the srandard jilt So while we have here another demonsrration of affiliation

there is a subtle claim ro difFerence by means of a superior version of standard

practice I he use of massed groups of these vessel categories was presllmably a form

of display slightly different from that of the impressive and heavier Zilil and In

viewing these differences toda we can sec divergences that must have been equll1y

visibk in the Shang period

Vith respect ro rhe Shang 1 question rarclv considered is how did the nobility

cOl11e [() own vessels so similar one to anorhcr and to rhose of rhe Roval Household

Ie i~ po~siblc rhar such bronzes were made under rhe direction of till coure and

were donated to the high-ranking If (here wa only one f(llll1dry casting bronzes

this mighr explain sLlch similarities Flowever it is likely thar there were several

foundries and rhat rhe sharing of yes sci shapes and d~cor rhe mechanisms rhrough

which a disrinctive period snlc came into being is a mauer ylt to be llndersrood

In addirion the different inscriptions on bronzes indicaring ownership by different

hmilies and individuals in those Elt11ilies SlIggesr rhat there was some system by

which Elmilie could individually commission bronzes Ihe square sectioned gil

andjiilo (hgures 7 and H) and rhe n~ unusual liddedFliIgdillg in M 160 (hgure 3)

also indicHe rhat rH11ilics could exert some choice in vessels

If st rongly-shaped and highl decorated sub-groups presen ted the sratus of rheir

owners and indicate relarionships among rhe elire how rhen arc we to read rhe

attempt at a retrospective look Vhat did the instances of archaism imroduced

carl ier really mean We should explore this question b~l()oking at Furrher examples

In addition to theJlIIgdillg in Tomb 1160 rhe t() orher tombs under discussion

also conlained bronzes rhat rcier 10 rhe p~LSt Ihe piece in lomb Mi4 is a simple

sreamer a )111 (hgure 9al with a band (hgure 9b) recre~lting the kind of

decorarion seen on bronzes From Zhengzholl and Panlongcheng similar in gLf1cral

(erms to the ornament of the lidded cling in Tomb M 160 Bur the ltII is a much

more srandard in shape and Tsscls of this caregory frequently carry rarher

old-Lvhiol1Ld designslhe pm is therefore rarher like the Mai Ii (hgure 2) wirh

which rhis paper began- It is a srandard piece that presents irself as manitCsring

a past tradi tion whose main character is simpliciry evidem vvhen seen alongside

such complex pieces as the angular bronzes f)om tbe Shang [Ombs (Figure )) or the

extravagantly-decorated Ii inscribed litb rhe name Bo Ju (hgure 1)

RE

Figure la

ca 1200 I

Huayuanl

guo shehl

Anyang g HuayuanJ

Kllogu 201

Figure 9

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

hey were

ands out

1 (Figure

I) rarher

ffiliation

standard

Iya form

1d jifl In

n equally

nobility

msehold

ourt and

bronzes

re several

through

derstood

differenr

ystem hv

ioneJ gil

Figure 1)

lS of their

read the

ltroduced

examples

Iiscllssiol1

a simpk

kind of

in general

s a mllch

rry rarher

e 2) with

anifesting

alongside

or the

REVIVj~( ACIFT ORAlFT A][) THE PRE ENCE OF THE PAST

Figun ()l m I It -q (111 SIUll~ pniod

ca 1200 lllT [aclIated 1lt111111

HUl UIl1hUlI1~il J)lllt Frolli Ihollfshy

guo Ihhui kCtH tJ1l ktPgu YJ1iillw

An-ang g(lll1IUlhJUI Hnm nHl-2middothi

HllanJ~ll1htlJJlh 1middot1110 ShltlIlgdai IllU1I1g

Attll~ 200r I p I I Ii~ I

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

r i

REI E T I C THE P S T

---~

shy

Ii~lrl 1()L IhIill~tl( 1( III S- LIll

gtILlIl~ ]lLriod Ll 12()() IH 1 [llIlLLI Iom

Ill ((J1ll1) oj hi I LIO 1[ rIllllg I rom 11j)jlgshy

gllo [It-fIlIi klllllllll kOgll llljilllI() lll lXII (jillg(lJt-I (lkijillg LIlll LhuhlllhL

ll)K-1) lig 202

Fu Haos tomb contains two and probably more vessels that an more unusual

In their ornamental archaism Among the most striking is a pair of he Iii vessels

with large lobes (Figure lOa) Ihe lobes alone relate these he to very early he and

Ii vessels of the types seen at Zhengzhou and at Panlongcheng (Figure lOb) S and

the differ from the more common late Shang fCJrlllS which consisted of a rounded

body on post or pointed legs A rubular spout emerging from the top cover and

the two eyes around the opening in it also follov much earlier models In the

intervening period the Elee device on the cover or top of the he had disappeared)

In all three tombs bur especially Tomb M 160 ~ll1d the tomb of Fu Hao there are

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

(1LHtd from

I rom 11111110

iiU~ll(l LlL

vu chuhlthc

1USUltl I

iCsscis

If and

and

mded

T and

n the

red

e are

REV 1 11 C 1 CI E - TOR - - -1 E - T - - [) T H F P R L S r - C F () fmiddot Til P S T

Jitw I Dh 1)1 11Il~ of 1 il I It 5() U1L I ~ gtILlllt 11rio -1 1middot JU() ~ YHl IH T I I-JJ Lll (r(lln J (lln 12 l

P1Il1()Iltlhlllg ill IlulkL 110111 f lulhilllmiddotl llll h1O(i lll)llllO nmfJfiti-1middotug lt)(1) ))j JUdI IttJI (Iif

lJritlfilO (1)( Iil1~ tIl l ( llhJ 11 111 21 HilL 01 1 p ()s j i~ ll)

in addition numhers of s(ltllllbrd brollCS sillliLtr (() (he yflil (hgurc J) on which

thcrc is no space here [(l comlllent

If we em roday appreciatc thc compicx angular ~1I1d highlv decorated hronzes

as providing a dispby [hat cOllllllunicllcd status ~ll1d aHiliarion borh redolent of

powcr ve cm perhaps alo see thc pilcCS (of which therl are nUlllcrOllS

mhcr examples) as having paralicl purposes It SClms likclv that sOllle simplificd

vessel shapes with anrillul designs such as the ai Ii (Figurc 2) and thc)7 (Figure

9) werc cvidlncl that somc vcssel typcs were undcrstood 15 having an anciclH

history signallcd by their deliberately ancient decor I he contrasts with borh rhc

fully decorated piccls and the cXLcpriollal archaic olles indicHc a range of options

aV~libble as cxprlssion of ditlcrlnt l1UltlllllS within a singk scc In lxcrcising those

options thc lxnJOns and their advisors SClm [0 havc had somc interest in preserving

a sense of thc antique by referring to simplified Vlrsions of ancient designs

Ihe second category the clear ndvals of unusual r()rms namely the

jmgdillg from Tomb j11GO (Figure 5) and thc Il from ru Haos tomb (Figure

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

r ~

REI E T I ( T H f P S T R

lOa) look like deliberate concoctions They are rare indeed so rare that are no pI

exact parallels from other tombs These would appear (() be commissioned re

which may haC had an exotic appeal or may hae been thought to to a specific T

place or time p

Here we might draw ~ome llarallcls wirh earl jades Shang elite seem to

have possessed qui te a n Ulll bel of ancient pieces some of which they reworked and Clt

others which they copied from earlier exemplars Ihe owner ofI()mb M160 had S)

a Neolithic or at least pre-Shang jade axe embellished with 1 Illuch later Anang 01

type Itotic design I hi Hao owned sneral ancienr pieces and a number of small

coiled dragons based upon HonghIl -1[ II prototypes i1lhe unusual and perhaps ((

exotic came nor onl- from rhe Plst bur llso fiom other regiollS Ownership lnd I-

display of such jldes often worn 011 rhe bock brought the distant in time and n

place Iiterallv into the presenr Bronze types that recreated aspCts of the past or b

of the had similar dlccrs But instead of these characteristics accruing to b

bodik d they were incorporated in the ()fkril1g~ to ancestors and were p

thus protllimed in rhat specific COHeXL Both the bronzes Ind rhe were clear

indications of the reach of Shang innuence and power ami- as such were material d

prescJ1[lliom the kinds of amhorit that the Shang al~() by military and c

rimal mean~ If a l1iece from a distant region or disLlnt time a~ illcorporallll in a d

tomb it also indicated possLssion bOth literally and metaphorically n

I his kind ()fcornhill~ltioll of rd~Tellce to a past and to the up-ro-ebte continued

through thl Fari and liddle Western Zhou But with the ritual essel changes of rl

the late Middle and Lite Vestern Zhou a difllTent aPl1foach emerged I We haye 1

been aware for some rime riunks to finds at Tianma-Qucun III near a

Houma in Shanxi province that memhers of (he ZllOli nobility especially a

those in present-day Shanxi and H nan commissiolled reproductions of

bronzD Itl their tombs I hese were all the more ulnpicuollS on account c

of the in vessel shape and design changes that wCIe apects of a change in j

ritual [he reproductions orearlier bronze~ Well often small Ilon-funcrional picce~

Iheir pUlpoSe~ seem ro have been to represent the possessions of older generations I

that could nO[ ttlr ~Olle reason be included in the tombs

We have some nOtion of how such early pieces might have survived ttlr centuries

in the possession of a E1l11ik from hoards found in the ZhollYlIan tJt especially

the Zhuanghai I hoard which included bronze~ belonging to at least four

generations II From the board ie know that the bmil who owned it had at one

and the same time a working set of ritual e~sels and representatiyes of the bronzes

of their forefathers Diplayed on the alrar these earlier bronzes would have made

6H

F

1

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

they are no

ned pieces

0 a specific

ite seem (Q

vorked md

M160 had

ter Anyang

er of small

nd perhaps

ership and

I riml and

thl past or

ccruing to

sand wcre

were clear

re material

lilitar) and

orated ina

continucd

changes of

We have

III near

especially

uctiolls of

III aCCOUllt

change in

nal pieces

cilera tiolls

r cenruries

especially

least four

ad at onc

1e brollzes

lave made

REV [V I ~ C - C I E lOR - 1 T - ) 111 E PRE S F C F () T H F 1 SJ

physically presenr references (Q the earlier generations of the Cunily and would have

reminded later ones of their achievements Presumabh- the substitutes found at

Tianma-Qucllll fulfilled some of the same functions 111at is there to a

past by means of modcls of earlier made a lincage present

The materiality of all the exam pies descrihed so tu depended on chronologically

calibrated differences in shape and decoration Ihese in turn were the outcollle of the

systematization of ornamenr with a reliance on replication that is so characteristic

such systems Reviewing the systems of ornamenr deployed in the Shang and

Western Zhou we recognize thnc distinct flcriods In the first phase of the Slung

(ca 1500- uno BeE) nproduerions of earlier pieces were lot comlllon In the

High Anyang period and Earlv and Middle Westlrn Zholl UOO-l)iO BeE)

revivals stand our crearing among other things a groUfl of rather plain restrained

bronzes wirh long pedigrees Alongside these 1110re unllsual versions of earlier

bronzes displayed in distil1crivc material f())IllS panicubr as peers of the status and

powers Shang ltlnd Zhou clites to the living and the dead

Major changes in the larl Vestern Zhou WiO BeE) encouraged a quite

different approach Small nOll-Functional reproduuions of the earlill- hronze

almost certainly represclHed the status of the owner in terms of his

descent through several gencrations HLTC the rdercnces ro carlin generarions wcrc

more specii1c than at earlier times

Ihe rimal vlssels had taken on a major roll because they wcre incorporated in

the rimals th~lt werl intcnded to communicate hetween the living and the dead

Ihis coml11unication 5 made explicir in inscriptiom in the bronzes Bur an

addirionallxpressivl aspect lay in the srahility and variarion of ritual ves~cI t(lIIllS

and dclaquo)ration Singh- scvcrally and ill sets rhe hronzes presentcd the sr~mLS ll1d

power of the living ~lI1d the dead l10t simpl in terms of wealth hut in terms

of the flll1dall1lnLlI roles of E1l11ilv relationships Ar times hronzes Wilh antiquc

mgII ornamellt seem to havc heen proxies for plnicuiar individulk at others

they ofFered associarions with an 11l1specii1ld past era at yet others the were exotic

possessions with llronoullccd rdennces to idcntifiable 111cie1[ objects And at all

times bronzes were metaphors presented in plwsical Form f()r rhe cOIHil1uity of

human relationships that would sLlstain the [resent and Future

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

IZ 1[11( THL ISI

Epilogue 111e examples described so t~lr are TIT ditrerenr from the much better known

bronzes rediscovered and reproduced In later periods most especially during the

Song under the Emperor Huilong (r 1101-112)) and the Qing under

rhe Qianlong Emperor (r 1 )6-1 7 9) lh changes in ri III I I berween the

farring Stltes and 11an had grelfly redmed ifn()[ almost eliminated the kinds

of rirual vessel scrs with whi-h wc have been con((rIled Xfhen lttncienr ycsscLs were

rcdisulVernl 1ll1Il centuries later the were regarded as unusull or special and

WCle oftcn treated as Ol11cns

Mosr imporramly the ornalllelHd sstelll and the essel sets to which it had

been bound had tllkn our of usc Ihe wv ill which the mmifs could he combined

and the l11ethods II which the wen applied to were little recognized

despite a growing inrerest in and understanding of brones which were collecred

and GllaloguLd A Aexible and vcrsniic instrument for 1l1lI1ipulating simibrity and

dilkrellce in this medium h~ld be-n lost In miler words the materiality of the

earlier Hssci sers was not undersrood during rhe Song the Ming (] jClH-] and

the Qinf Imr was irs range ofsignincll1ces Later empnor werc l-ed with a snics

ofconraincrs whose functions thl ullticrs[(lod illlpertCcclv and whose original role

in anLiem societies they had no interest in reLonstrucring d

fL CIn rherefore mlke 1 ciear disri ncriOIl between rhe carl revivals of the

Shang and the ZlwlI and those ofLtter Lcntmies Xhell hrollles were cOlllmissioned

hy lmperor HuilOng or rhe Qianlollg Emperor It) usc in the ancestral s~ILTihces

the no longer expressed in their forms and decoration rill close links betweell

high~rallking EUl1ilils or between rhe gennatioJ1 within those Ellllilies Instead

rhey provided a hUIll or so their owners seem to luve supposed with rhe righreous

rule of thc anciellt hisrorktl pniods III rhis role rhl Sl(S pnscribed hy fluilong

lIlel rlll Qianlong Emplrur 1)lloing Zhou Illudes were instrulllcnts nflegirilllln

lddressed to a living ludiellcc of course but also ro rhe lncesrors

Ihe vcry bet of transf(Jrlllillg rhe csels clllplo~ll1 in riniai gave a 1l1ltcrial

expression ro a tran~f(Hnuri()1l of an insrifllrion thn rhlse lllonarchs intended to

achicvc I he trlIlSf(JrIlllrin [1Oer of ornament that we nored It thc beginning has

a IllcrapllOrical POWcl also Rcial of past orn~llllell(S and indccd of forms has

hcn in the West ]S well as rhe Fasr as both Ill instrlllllent of and as Illeuphor

t)j a spiritll~ll revival or persons and insritU[iuns

Excursions into rhe past in recreation of bronze vessels and in rhe reproducrion

of calligraphic typcs and sryles haw survind many of the turmoils of the twentieth

Cll1tury It is still possible to deploy rhe shapes ~lIld designs of ancient bronzes in

R

F

shy

l

t

j

I

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

ng the

under

en the

kinds

Is were

al and

it had

lbined

nized

Ileered

tyand

of the

1) and

al role

of the

ionnl

iflces

tween

lstead

HeOllS

lIzong

imacy

aterial

led to

15 has

aphor

Iction

I1tieth

zes in

REVIVING ANCIENT ORNET ND TIIF PRISlNCE OF THIe PASI

Figure 11 Iii PLlnd oUI ilic ~h I IHtJILUill(

HOfl] 011 (h1I)~~H1 Cltk ljjlllg

~

unexpecred vivid wa~ 1S we LlIl see in the large (Hgure 1 I) placed outside

the international Ilorel in Beijing vhere the charauer fill decorate~ al~o the

towels in guest room~ I he material is bewitching I hme who can recnne the past

in this mHerial f()J11 seem lhlc by extlllsion to claim ~l cOl1(rol of the past and its

values Ihen is something almost magicli in this manipulnion Ihe passer-hy on

a central thorollghbrl through Beijing recognises the disproportionate size of the

jll( but this exaggeration cvcn serves to eml1hlSise the virtues and the values of thc

past and to link them (() a hotel built in the tWlntiLth Lemur

Endnotes

I For [he 11IU lIljillO I II1Ii( Xi AiI

U lt)-1- )-- 1cll1 jon hllln )-) lnd 1)-~

n rill (C[lrIl fitoll lVIllC[cl (l~ rile lt[1[c olYan [[ lilllihcj (lcijing (lll11 cilUhlhhc l)ll

For i[mitcr rlfTcl1ll [() hrollc wirh inscriprioll IUllling Bolu Ill 1lt111 I(i1 Rillr Jimllr

FOIIIhl Ihlli f )rI(a (OC((WIIr (ahing[(J11 1)( Jl1d (lil1hridg b I he Arthur 1 Sllklcr

Foul1llariol1 1ll1 rhe nhur 1 ltlkkr 1 u 11 1 L)l)()) 01 2 ppA()()~4()l

2 1)1 earlier 1(11111 of onl Ilhl[]eed with quii ee l ici i1iUStrI(d i) hl rqil oil rhe c[[j()l

l( Pltlnlonglhn~ in Huhc lj)WU lugll yiJ) jtUUO

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

REIETIC THE PAST

p 42~ hgure 313 I illusuarc and disellss similar ii of borh and Vcsrern Zhou dares in

310-311

3 Uwere and less so in the l11elin pltriod Ihe

type disclIsscd here period 11 Clll in all fwm Iltmb ACM 11 02

in the Vcsrern Scemr ofYillxu iU Ar1ang sCc Rawson Uhtcl 01 Hilllili 8JiJIIZII Figmc 111e

development desnibed is discllsed and illmtrated inlrda Licnen -111lt oftheTing ill the

IhnaI A kmatil of the Yin-hsli ]riod ill PubiilcllioIlCI dcl 111lt1110

fIII1JIfhtoriscws Iritlit tier LlIiITiliil Aolil Band 3 1 iVilsbilden ham Stciner Verbg 199)

pp I) Imiddot 10 ii imilH in profile mei irh decorarioll mmpnahle [() then of rhe vlai Ii dislllssed

in thl preserH paper IS excavated Iiom Tomb 1120 H the (~iangzhlllgdJ Cllllercry n

l(llghou IjI Hi ill shehui I ir1 (I at

(~ianlhangda at ](nfviIoui 1 Pl L~j-22( Figurc 1)93

Within a IIcll-exal11ined scries illl1h 1120 is dated I the lscaI1Im ro the Vestern Ziwu

I in

Ihe crcltllion and usc oithc csscls we lIobert 111011 (illil ililhe hlilg (ililiziioi

lPhiLlllclphia ofleIlI1S1kania Press 200C) pp 2WI-213 11 a gelleLd discussioll

)1 rcic rhe usc orscrs and the ariarions in Illbr hemeen rhse owned bl dle highe elitL and

Ihose owned Iw nohk when deploed in rittul in I 1)e ShI1g Bronze Design MLlning

ami Iurlemiddot in Roderick hirheld cd fe PmClII (If III (Iilltt Rilllt 8ro1lZeJ

ForllllLuion of (hinesc An 1)1)2) ppNi-N(

( III lonlrics in AnriquarilI1 Rciris I hL (aSl of I he Chine Brnlll (ill Vuillildl ntdi gtWtilli

Ri(dich QlIdncli) O 22 no I (Autumn 2001) pp 1-34)1 illusrrate a group o( lllinilnllle lSSlls

made in the Lue VestCril and cuI FaSlelll Ihou tlut recreate hroille of more Ihan lelllur earlier An

allernatie Ipproach is ot-E-red bl u Hung Iingli de li]un he shiiian Zhlllguo shiqi lili lllcishu

Jhong de gUltlllnianhllil qingxidng n ill IHr( [Ihe theon and prluice of the usc of 2-N I For other dp[(Mches [()

ICLTCuioll ~lt tI~o Li lin~ Jcjiglt

iU III t I he ways ill IIh ich Ihe lllciellt lukes tile ne I diSLllssiot1 of

ami the Hl of rcUclling rhe Hlcic-IHI (i-]ong hongllcn dlxue chuhanshe 2()O~L

In the oral preseillation of this plfcr at the onkrcne l[ Chicago I illustratcd rhe Weslcrn (llssieal

s te 111 IIhieh I describe brielh- ill Ornltllellt ltIs SISlcI1I Chinese Bird-and-]]()Icr Design 1

(101 14N June 200() PI lNO-jWraquo Ihe illlhitcLTurltll co 111 pO lIelHS columns

archillltIIes ltlnd so Oil (Im the [ltIns lnd the W]I in which buildings Irc s[[uumed

the rules ScC lohn SUl11l11erson 1111 Cid-id (London IlUllleS and Hudsoll

reiscd edition of II)NO) I]r Iegam illusrrations of LIit-FrclH LOl11hin)[ion 01 palT detClmined b)

Ihes rules I he of SehaS[llll Scrlio tre tiso Ien illuminaling in this respeLt IJfilitlJl S(riio

Oil An-iititIlIC 101 I books I-IV of iill dmlititt(fIIld iI ill SmiddotAllidllll STI

Hlm Vlughan Han and Peter I ]ick (Nell I lncn 11ll] London rlie Uniersity Press 1 l)l)(raquo)

For an OVerliell o( rhe dleCl orarciueologicli dislOVlries ill rhe ltest see lain Schapp Ih

Illstl Origin trans tn Kinne and (iililI1 Varndell (London British Museum

Press I )l)(l

iJurllde lIIri iI- mrlairll in (hi 11lt) ArT (Pril1cetol1 Iri ncltton Lnilltrsi ty

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

01 1

res in

the

1102

1h

11 rhe

Asim

)7))

ryat

[~I I

11S in

and

ll1in~

itU]

LAn

ishll

lS (0

iSid

fbc

Jlidc

Ison

d by

ledlO

rliu

eurn

REVIVI)lC -CJE)l OR~IE-T D THE PRESECE OF THE PAST

Press 2000) pp 2~-4e) 1mh1I LdderDc pr(1idcs l COll1pIcI11CHlr 1 of looking l( rill sntell

of bronze dcign

9 Shanghai bowugllan Y1I1jiulll lll xedkn r

example 01 this pra rice in [Onul1lcnt on and

Zh()u bronzesl (enlI chubmslle 1lK4)

10 In SbiJlg Rillltl Hroilzes iii hmiddot Arhlli ~I(tr (iJaiol J)( md (

Mass Arthur 1 Saddr foundation cIhingron l)C me rhe rrhur 1 Slckkr lumiddotulll Harnrd

Unilersill 1Wi) PI

or rhe OrlllI1lCIl[ on

[n rhis Ihglcl prolids In importlll[ lxrnion or 11 [ociu File Srlmiddotks (sC Lociu Ihe Broillc

Styb of rhe Anyang Pcriod 1300-1 O-H Blt ArfIe (hillc in (hil) or lli1lkil 101

BmllJe

Clring kchnolog ill nlienr (111111 (AJliblfi hldl ill (11 no 1 (-OO() PI )-))) presell[s an

llrelllrilL approach to rhl lchnilu hur rhi do nor rth-u the arguIllllt ahout the imple(

of rhe sccrion mold 1tIll on 1he

II Ioehr Bronz Sl -1lt of 1h

ollhe Ollllll1nt

Icriod Loehr choils or l hc ord tle rdicd his [rltlining

is ginl1 in kILT Shlpirns in hmrj 111( hioJu))) 111

iIS (Ncll York Corgc 1lr1I iIkr I ()()l Pl ~ 1- J 112)

1- In using the lLTlll Itl hronc O11lltl1lle11l nUl he usciuL

Ihe ltsci scl ILt clmdy lillkd ith ancest1al Herings els l11ureOlr 1 ere Ilcn inscrihell with

names of ners lnci thus h(Hh categorlcs and tljK or oJll111lnl would h1 hlcn readily associated

with bnil Illemhers

It For a d iss ugtsion or the

01 I PP 9--12i

14 Cillcs [)lellil

1J()4)

dllt tLlIlLHd hI ]nlll1l1011 rlondonlh lhloIlC Irc

I~ (omparc I()r cltl111jlc RoLlild J)lrpoundilclt discussion oiminule rriatiom in Ioths in ill 1II~lIdg(

u(I-ShifJli ndl SllH()(ll rram llh Irllord nld 1ihld (lrlcr lmiddotk ~(hl()rd and York

Berg 2001) hH glllTal JPprotllc~ to ltClllidliL ~llshy

lill)fJc )IJIHlruuilifi (] ondon and JC York

Culkn 11 lIwil

(bc IIIK 1)

1( Max Loehr hl heen one 1)( Ihe Illljor cXp011elllS or the 1lrl1l(ic chlrluer of bro11zc llld otiler

(hillcsl Olllt1l1clH sc his I h Ite of( hlllnll11t in (hincs rr 111 IfioidJi 111 Id

icrni11g lId ill Rodnick XhitfikL cd

of 0111 tnl III a a reourcc llUI rll(l the dcclopmI1l 0(1 pllllTn or ocLlI ign

I Ihc ()clhu]l1I ohllk h1s IroJlhl hTIl C1 tnisklciing ()IT th dCctdcs jhl 1T111 i

alplic1 to II strn llchilCtlln lerc On [111 is 1Hied OIcr the litn ill cll-rognilLd phl

the ROtl)llllSCJllC Corhic alld

Bur ill all rillS srages arillio1S on l (I)midcred Xhcn lhl nOlion of

lrlllSfCrrcd to Xesrern or ro three dillllllsional obkcts Ihl ddinirions 1T 1111lth less

a11d on hllance not ustull applkd

18 For a more lpprolh Sle )[ clnplc SlLlh -lllll rr lnd kaning in Rodcrick

Vhididd lL 111 IroJ(Ii of pp I h 1-1-( lncllortl1Il S If1 An ~ Dnmk

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

(i

R F I E ~ T 1 ~ C THE P S T

alld fUIlUOIlS of

in 11Ft lid

20 rrhm

2l

all amhirious interpretalioll of the bronze

lrgll1hlltmiddot erC blcd upon lnu(h brc [Lr thar did not lKll~aril h1l

llisa Kestler Ihe I(tc Recollsidered

( ht(llC (Lllll1don Press I )Wl)

I l)l) I PI 2)-~

liShsd alld quoled

([ondoll ecorse 1llell amp l i l1 ill J ))~) PI 2())-21l

report l~ ZhoIlgglio shLhui yanjiuuo Ii j~ VImiddotrt 1 )IXII til Ii) 1111 Ilhl lomh fhl lao l[ Yillu IlkijillS 111I

la lllei LOlleloll I LlrltlId

chuhlllshc 1)110)

22 Som of lhe IIhnqHio in Ill lao hrolllc Hl discussed ill ( A

chill (

(iliizdIiOl ~l Hllll ll) [onciol1 Y[e l ])B6) 11 111-102 llld ClO l)ill~lIl1S

1 1[ Y~llJi klo-Yilll Fuhan liltl qinl nliJ1~lll IUHlO I

lj 1 disCliSSioll 01 lill lUll( y (~i Iund 1I1j()J1~ Ill inLTilliol1s (10111 rhl lomh 01 Iu Ila in

liIIII( 1WW 101 2 i CIIlI CitUhll1shll 11 11 -1 i(l

2L I md lhis I)(lim il~ Brolle Iki~II

21 hile I h his pilpll lhe llIlhol hc fH(lickd lhcLJIlttiuf 101 Ill

lrSlllcn 1)lni1 lilkl ill (l)udull1 1I1tIIol1dol1 [lke- lnierif Ire 2(j()~)

hili in 11r [)11rl1is Chri emdel1 md Colin RCIlire_ k

1illrilli tII i(i iiM i(

2) Ih lrellllll1l ul

~l1cra[ ion (hlt

lO 1leT

II in jillcr hook PI ~1~1 Iilll

O))) Sl ti lIidKlh

[lIrlIed IInder the

II lidlii S(klf( I) I Lills

1C)JU) 1 (I

2N lrn

r~l1l1 hH the lIL ot

(Tuin cllr middotlji

1I))) Blu Ihl tIllS 1Il Ihich sLit mild lw IiIil( lIe 11rious 1I1d 1 wirh

f)oliricl lllei 1lil11gt el (l lOll illdur (olldon

Ihuns tnt [(elSOIl 1())~1 lItt Llrin1 IIXIIF] (In iIlt ROhlif(dIIU (london

1hlI11 c mel [Iutison 2()(Ji) A I(cent lw bnin loLis nplors the Ilialiomhip oj

alu- 1 I-hihitl-d ill Jl-ur~lfni Ohl(t in lrl ~hi[Ll L- hi nUCFl ulJrll)cnoJ ()nldilCJiI

I

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

1Jrvard

hrnnZl

5

-211

~cnu

Sludy

1aol in

for lll

) rlllil

ITilll

izabclh

dcr lhl

I Lllk

turu 1

ip[ions

sion of

nOli III

onux

d with

mdoll

ll1don

of

~1ark

D1(e

7hilik

[1(rJrc

REVJIlG A~ClF~l OR~l ~T ~) lFfF PI F~CE 0 tHE PAST

Gcn[J1cr eI d

cds 7J(

Pre 2001 pp l))-2i3

BLlcbdls l)l)l))

nrended t)r lISe in the afrerlik I rilme with h()1ll th1 len huricL Iilu hile bronze were

I ha 11 an ahcrl iIe- I hei r 11 lould h1 Ie IWe11 plTIetllareci

HlIlt1hl lino Conccming the Inscripri()n ~LI Ol1S Ulei CrlIldsol1S

Amw Asitl( OJ 1 110 I2 1t)lt)) PI l-ix

31 hchui

I )l) 2 I

ire of Yin period wl11h al (uojililual1g Yin1l al

chubal1h I))K)

52 _gtCl Zh()l1g~tI() hvhui ylnjiuuo Allyln~

I klllll nI1ghi I )1

+ ([ClIHi)l1 ofa ~hng pcriod Iolllh ij

lOgii 20UI PI - ll

cOlnptrcljid I

p J(() Figllre 10- lIld (r(llll nll1g Sl

shchui

14 IJwngglio hvlllii

~H2

)i hn 10 lllllpk Cl (lCll 1cngji

ill Slur (irJi hlllnii ~Ilr(llf 1 (

Inl I

1 IlL ligulc 1I1e1 p j2 ligllr 1n IIXiI

Yi) Ihoil qin~tol1gqi ~Tlki lulu jlf o( (hI1 Ilnlllio in lllTicn (llntion1

ljl1mii hianji lilLltlhui [

(liJe(Il~Il (jlftJ~ji nL ) Xi

o I oj thl cslllll

Ihou secllon o( I) Ullll]ic-le edilioll or hill Inllll1 ([Iling e1u huha[Jh I ltJltJ(1 ID

=) no t)

36 1 one lillll lill modi hld ith

Ihou h1Otle 111 ld ~hlllS ill 11[ II Atllllg cOllfirm IhlI hrollCs l11ad

I(Tl made In Shmg [Hlnhi ee Ii

bnlllV wilh Ihi i~Hure md mold ]Ulld

ocilicd with rill( lroll~lll l1Orm

and Iiu Y

Xi~IOlnil1lUn d)llgllltlndi lhutu fIO~Ul lll dui Yin-u qitl~lOI1f~lji llc jidill il1 fel1 hi t~i

it II SUInt 1lL opinioll Oil Yilnll hrOl1lc ha d UPPl1

frolll jj()tllinttnl

3 [(luil I luher inSOllllm1I1g Brollll R[J11rk Oll

cd lhc (rlt l1FOJl( (r (JIlld 1

1lLlll 111 or Art I JK I PI I()--Jl) nal11e uch picLv

10 tngcll (Htnr

lltl I Llin c She dol not

hu-cLr considtr their oritil1 in till n(TLarion or (OIHil1l1~Hion of 11111ch Illort J1ticnt dC(Or~llic

dlicc Bernhard clrliI la ]Iracicd Ill COlltrlr c(n 1l1l01lg Shang hnll1C hi

Srocill 21 (1 Ji I) PI I-gO

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10

RFI~FTIC TIlL IS

f1criod i illutLltCe ill IkJlallShn~ lt11 u bogu

Shltlllgcheng -inflian til ji1uO Shang Illll

dicmTcd Shlnl wmb It at

Zhenphou] lIiIIII1i 20()5A Pl p 1() hgurc I it 10

rill dllc of u ()ill~ hut I ilil a rather nlOrc

subdued f()rm of decoration Igt tlllllc1 1I1 t(HllllLuOlb or buildings lxjmd at Ammg sec

Zhongguo hchui klXUeHlall Lwgu

Henall

rill11

i I[~(

(u()jilhll~g Yinxll

hubnlw 1))1) 11 i hgures l) I )2

ii In I he Reuse of neiclll III

Inc illu Lllc it ill0 re tidk

irltIl 1011 Rililil 8111111- PI In 12gt (olllplrl cd I()[Iur (1Il 1]lkl11I11l1gtlIL 1 He VCllll1 1 ZllOU Elst ill ((In (liIlOi( (o 11 Illl I 1jl)I) If 111) the

Ne Ihonl~ ill idlifJJirtl ntlt(t fs(lJ)J f(c(Ji(J (ldrlr~ll 01 22 lHL I LUllllllll ~OOmiddotiL pp l 3-1 ll

tiqcd 011 hlkcllhallcll ill thl IUllll

BCii Ihi imporrlIli IlOarc is digtcucd ill iHllllTltll1S aniek tlld m011ograph cC epeirlL Ilijing

lnd Blijitlt dIXlll gUlLti lllInil1g y~tlljtll

(uwfi JOI~lllitll JillI Xi 011 jiclIi II sUlt Ij hc fill ~qcTll Ilwll hrol1~ CC]llnl J[ ZhOlllll1Il1

an (lkijiIlS VCIllI dmhulhe 2()02)

i gt lor lcl iSL)Lric- ill I he ILtn ITioci ll od ltlllarc 1(Corcb or [)IlOllli or IlronZl lssels on

ill Lit~rr) SOlllll tllli Somc ILTtinlli Rllllnh oil Zr ch

I( 11 ICSc- ~hal crc lLlplcd ill thc 111 ~III~ Jiscllcd h lo Yi ill Jilt If ex ~IIIi S ill C]ild (un[1l1blihed I )Ihil I hesi lIblllilted ill pmiri rlilfillllClH or

of t hc relli I 1 III enI tor ~h llegrcl o( 1)Ollor or Ph iImoph ri (hrml ()O raquo)

reiI I am inkhtcd to RohcIT I Lnlil horl fl [hcpilotogllh of thc Illltnd flI hi thorough Cl)lllllellI

oil m Jrli t o( thi 1[1lt1 ov

is

ca

fa

la sil

10