Bronzes

Table of Contents

A History of Chinese Bronzes

The ancient cultures of China were responsible for many of the treasures of the ancient world. Existing in a political and social climate that could be peaceful at one time or at others as violent as any in history it is surprising that the arts of silk, porcelain and bronze-ware managed to survive at all.

The art of the Chinese Bronze makers and, the works that they produced are almost entirely from the one period of Chinese History; the Bronze-Age. Metallurgy had been known to the ancient Chinese cultures during the later Neolithic Period.

The first metals used by the ancient cultures were those that were found in their natural states, gold, silver and copper. Significantly, both gold and silver are commonly discovered in association with tin. Initially, the use of copper was as ornaments and for small tools however, copper like both gold and silver, in its natural state is a relatively soft metal and not ideally suited for use as tools.

While the Bronze - Age in China is recognized as commencing around the time of the Xia Dynasty ( 2,100 - 1,600 BC ) it is also notable that the evidence of bronze can be traced back to 3,500 years BC. A sword discovered at Dongxianglinjia in Gansu Province ,and initially believed to be made from copper, proved after scientific examination to be made of bronze. The find confirmed the existence not only of the use of bronze long before the acknowledged date but it also confirmed the belief of an understanding of metals, moldings, castings and more importantly alloys.

Bronze is an alloy produced from copper and tin. When the two metals are smelted together they produce an alloy called tin-bronze; considerably harder than either metal in their natural state and capable of retaining an edge when sharpened.

The period of the Chinese Bronzes covers a approximately 2,000 years beginning at the same time as the first of the ancient dynasties ( Xia Dynasty ) and continuing through to the first imperial period ( Qin Dynasty ). While some Bronze items were produced after the Qin Dynasty the emphasis by this time had turned to the production of steel and iron and as a consequence the innovation and the styles of the Bronze - Age were not expanded upon to any extent.

Dynasties of the Bronze Age in China

• 2,100 - 1,600 BC Xia Dynasty
• 1,700 - 1,027 BC Shang Dynasty
• 1027 - 771 BC Western Zhou Dynasty
• 770 - 221 BC Eastern Zhou Dynasty
• 770 - 476 BC Spring and Autumn Period
• 474 - 221 BC Warring States Period
• 221 - 207 BC Qin Dynasty

The works that first appeared from the early Bronze-Age were by no means primitive. Although the range of products and diversity of style was not the equal of the later bronzes they were nonetheless excellent examples of the Bronze-Age and clearly revealed the skills of the smiths from the period. The rise of the Bronze industry coincided with a decline in the pottery industry. The skilled craftsmen who up until this time had been employed in making pottery turned their attention to the bronze industry.

The late Neolithic and Xia / Shang Dynasty bronzes are characterized by the presence of inscriptions and show clearly the development of the written language. While the early inscriptions are of a pictorial nature and can not be considered as a written language it was not long before the repetition of characters and symbols that distinguishes a language became obvious. By the end of the Shang Dynasty a clearly defined repetitive arrangement of symbols and characters were in use.

The written script of the Chinese is much like the hieroglyphics of the ancient Egyptians and often is a record of the events of the period. When an event of importance occurred or a transaction or contact agreement between high ranking individual was made a bronze work would be commissioned to record the event. The number of inscriptions cast into the bronze works could be as many as three or four hundred though most were considerably less.

Chinese bronzes were at their peak during the Zhou Dynasty and they were produced in vast numbers, not only for the recording of events but also for day to day use. The variety of bronzes produced was extensive as too were the sizes and ranged from small vessels for drinking up to cauldrons for cooking which could in some cases be over a meter in diameter and weigh several hundred kilos. Animals were a favorite subject matter for the bronze makers and many such bronzes were produced principally as wine containers.

The Zhou dynasty and the Warring States periods were also notable for the significant increase in the use of bronze for making free standing figurines. Figurines had for sometime been used as decorative add-ons to many bronze products but it was not until this later period that the use of bronze for figurines purely as an artistic work came to prominence. Figurines of horses, dragons and human figures were produced

Two discoveries around 500 BC served to bring an end to the Bronze - Age in China and the making of bronze items diminished towards the end of the Warring State Period and by the time of the Qin Dynasty bronze was almost exclusively used for sculpture and ceremonial objects.

The increase use of coal and the ability to produce furnace temperatures far greater than that required for bronze made the production of iron and steel far more important. Steel for the production of cooking pots, utensils and for weapons was much more suitable than bronze.
In a society where warfare was a constant companion the advantages of steel, with its ability to hold an edge gave preference to steel over bronze as the preferred product for warfare although bronze remained as the principle product used for decorative and ceremonial works.

Two thousand years after the Bronze - Age the importance of the works is being recognized for its true historic value. During the Qing Dynasty ( 1644 - 1911 ) many bronze works were uncovered from tombs all across China and while they had been examined at the time few pieces now remain and are lost for all time. Many of the bronzes from the uncovered from the tombs have been inlaid with copper, silver and occasionally gold.

While several examples of pure silver-ware exist with items such as bowls, plates, cups and some pots produced for the upper social classes, it was copper that was most commonly used as an inlay and features both as script and as ornamental design. This was prominent with works from the mid Zhou dynasty through to the Han dynasty and produced some of the most attractive examples of the skills of the craftsmen.

Casting Methods

The sophistication of the Chinese bronze makers is revealed in the methods of casting and moldings that were used to produce many of the pieces. almost all of the techniques practiced are still in common use today. Split casting sand casting and lost wax casting were all used throughout the period. Some designs that were particularly intricate were made as separate items and then placed into the mold and recast with the bulk of the vessel. Smaller items were commonly produced by centrifugal casting and are still produced in the same manner.

Coins and various items used as money were made by a process of mass production where multiple pieces were produced from each casting.

Designs and Motifs

The diversity of design of the characters, the script and the motifs was immense. The graphic designs featured animals, fish, birds, people , dragons and themes drawn from mythology. Some items even included cloud designs, ogre masks and battle scenes. The designs were displayed in both raised relief and as incised inscriptions.

Chinese Bronze Classifications

Chinese Bronzes can be separated into ten different categories. Each group can be subdivided into three or more sub-groups.

Cooking Vessels:

There are three types of cooking Vessels.

Ding, Li and Yen.

The sizes range from very small to over a meter in diameter.
They may be either round or square in shape.
Three or four legs. With or without a lid.
Often inscribed with Chinese characters and motifs.

Food Containers:

There are five types of food containers

• Gui: The most common type of food container for storing grain; square or round.
• Xu: A rectangular container with round corners.
• Fu: A rectangular container of the Zhou Dynasty.
• Dui: A round storage container with a lid, from the Warring State Period.
• Dou: Small, round and bowl like used for fruit and fitted with a lid.

Wine and Water Vessels

There are two types of vessels. Those for storage and those for drinking.

Drinking Vessels:

The shape of drinking vessels change over the course of the Bronze Age. Vessels such as the Jue ( left ) were a sparrow like figurine in appearance and others like the Gong more closely resembled animals and still others such as the Zhi were goblet in shape. All were at various time fashionable.

Storage Vessels:

Wine and water storage vessels took on various shapes and designs throughout the period. Animal and figurine shape vessels were especially common and appeared in many types including; Zun, You, Hu, of the Shang Dynasty and the Fang Yi, Bu of the later Spring and Autumn period.

The Fang Yi was an unusually shaped container with the appearance of a building with a pitched roof. Many examples had pouring spouts.

Weapons and Tools:

Weapons and tools represented a large part of the bronze items produced. Many of the items were interchangeable and had multiple uses.

• Ge: A sickle shaped weapon with the point of a dagger. Usually with a log handle typical of a spear. A common weapon.
• Moa: A spear used primarily as a bayonet. Dates back to the early Shang Dynasty.
• Jian: A sword. Initially a short weapon during the Shang Dynasty but during the Warring States Period became longer.
• Yue: An axe with a broad blade up to 300 mm in width.

Tools:

• Fu: An axe
• Ben: Adze
• Zuan: Drill
• Zao:C hisel
• Chan: Shovel
• Jue: Pick

Chariots and Harness:

Bridles and harness were produced from bronze as were breast and shoulder guards. During the Warring States period and into the Qin Dynasty, Chariots, wheel rims and couplings were all made from bronze, as were a number of ornamental chariots and figurines.

Musical Instruments:

Musical instruments from the Chinese bronze age are mostly percussion.

• Nao: Is a rectangular shaped gong mounted on a wooden pole used as a signal during attacks. Dates from the Shang Dynasty and developed into the Zhong.
• Zhong: A bell, first appeared during the early Zhou Dynasty. Gradually developed into a set of three to five bells with differing tones.
• Gu: A bronze drum. common during the later Bronze-Age.

Sundry Items:

This categories includes the countless number of day to day items that were made from bronze and shows that the bronze craftsmen were capable of producing almost any item from bronze. Kettles, incense burners, figurines, oil lamps and lights, belt buckles, hair clips, nails and construction fastenings, fish hooks and any imaginable items.

Money, and coins of several types were also produced from bronze.