Unit 1.2 Chinese Art from the Shang through the Zhou Period

Development of a Bronze-age Culture

Shang Dynasty
c.1766~c.1045BCE

Note that this map includes the Xia Dynasty.  This dynasty is rumored to be a bronze age dynasty that predates the Shang, but we still do not have any material culture.  Our knowledge is based on writings about them from subsequent and contemporary peoples.

second shows ancient archaeological sites along with modern cities.  You can see how major sites of Chinese civilization have typically developed in a very defined geographical area.

Shang Dynasty Dwelling

Many early Shang Dynasty bronze vessels are developed from earlier neolithic vessel shapes.
more info -

1.  Make an exact clay model of the bronze vessel-to-be.

2. When it hardened, units of soft clay were pressed against it, taking on the negative impression of both its shape and its carved decoration.

3. These could be “touched up” by carving or by the application of additional relief, or both, then fired to become the units of the mold.

4. The surface of the model was then shaved down to become the core of the mold; the walls of the bronze vessel would exactly equal in thickness this layer that had been shaved from the model.

5. The core was locked into place by spacers within the assembled piece-mold, which was held together.

6. Pour the molten bronze into the space between the core and the outer mold.

Video demo -

Tomb of Lady Fu Hao, consort of King Wu Ding

Discovered in 1976

Dated to c. 1200BCE

Contained: over 100 bronze weapons, 468 bronze objects, 750 jades, 560 bone objects, 110 stone/precious stone objects, and 6000 cowrie shells.

more info -

Wine Vessel, Shang dynasty, Lee fig 30

Four-legged Vessel, Shang dynasty, DF p 59

Vessel, Shang dynasty, cf DF pp 56-57

Fangyi, bronze,

Shang dynasty, c.1100 B.C.E.

Redderose 2.12

Rubbings of Taotie - the design

Covered container Height: 60cm, Length: 88cm, Weight: 71kg

Tripod (Ding), Shang dynasty, Lee fig 38

no name

WINE VESSEL (ZUN). Shang dynasty, ca. 1300–1100 BCE.
Bronze. Height 17" (43.2 cm).
Jiangxi or Hunan province. British Museum, London © The Trustees (1936,1118.1).
[Fig. 6-9]

Vessel. White earthenware with impressed decoration. Shang Dynasty. H. 33.2cm. Freer Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Ceremonial bronze guang, Shang dynasty

Bronze Vessel (yu). 11^th century BCE. H. 13 ¾” (35cm). Musee Cernuschi, Paris.

Guang, probably from Anyang, China, Shang dynasty, 12th or 11th century BCE. Bronze, 6 1/2” high. Asian Art Museum of San Francisco, San Francisco (Avery Brundage Collection). 

more info -

Jade. Shang dynasty.

 from Tomb of Fu Hao, Anyang. 

C. 1200 B.C.E. 2 3/4'',

A jade pendant in the shape of a phoenix      

Length: 13.6cm, Thickness: 0.7cm

Jade tiger       Height: 3.5cm, Length: 14.1cm

Jade elephant        Length: 6 cm

Jade Dagger-Axe (Ge). Shang Dynasty

Zhang-blade, late Shang, ca. 1200 BC
jade
Overall length: 28.2 cm

Shang dynasty, Bi-disk , D.14cm

Spouted ritual wine vessel (guang), Shang dynasty, early Anyang period (ca. 1300–1050 B.C.)

Yue ax. Bronze, Late Shang Dynasty.

Ding Vessel, Bronze, Early Shang

Wine vessel, Bronze, Late Shang

Jue, ceremonial wine vessel, Early Shang

Standing figure, from Sanxingdui, China, ca. 1200–1050 BCE. Bronze, 8’ 5” high, including base. Museum, Sanxingdui.

Zhou dynasty: 1045-256BCE

more info -

Overview of Confucianism

Overview of Daoism

Western Zhou Jade

Western Zhou Bronze

Ding, Bronze, Early Zhou

more info -

Bucket with Swinging Handle (yu). Bronze. Early Zhou period, 12^th-11^th century BCE. 14 ¼” X 10 5/8” (36.1 X 26.9cm). Smithsonian Institution, Freer Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.

Basin, bronze, early Zhou.

You, Ceremonial wine vessel. Early Zhou Period. 22.9cm

Eastern Zhou

Bo, vessel.

Pu, vessel with dragon design.

Bronze Monster Mask and Ring Handle. Yixian, Hebei. 5^th century BCE. People’s Republic of China.

Zhong Bells.  Eastern Zhou.  Bronze.

Tomb of the Marquis Yi of Zeng

Bronze zun (wine vessel) and bronze pan (plate) 

Bronze with inlay

Bronze Mirror, Eastern Zhou, Bronze with gold and silver inlay.

Bronze mirror with inlay.  Eastern Zhou.