- The Exhibition OF Mawangdui Han Tombs
- The Exhibition of Shang and Zhou Bronzes Found in Hunan
- - Bronzes from the Shang Dynasty to the Western Zhou Dynasty
- - Bronzes from the Spring and Autumn Period
- The Exhibition of Ceramics from Famous Kilns in Hunan
- Exhibition of Calligraphies in the Ming and Qing Dynasty
- Exhibition of Paintings Created in the Ming and Qing Dynasties
- Exhibition of Ten New Major Archaeological Discoveries in Hunan
Bronzes from the Spring and Autumn Period
From the mid and late Western Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period, bronze culture in the Hunan region developed with intensified local flair, with bronzes of the Yue State style widespread to form their own characteristics. From the Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States Period, bronzes of the style of the State of Chu gradually spread to the south, creating a situation of the dominance of Chu-style bronzes and the coexistence of multiple bronze cultures.
Bronze Ding-Tripod with Buffalo Horn-shaped Handles and Cloud Design from the Spring and Autumn Period
Overall height: 22.8cm; Diameter: 19.8cmunearthed at Hejiawan, Xiangxiang in 1982 Ding is a cooking vessel. The shape of this ding, compared with others from the same period, has the following features: An ordinary ding has slightly-curved oblong or half-loop handles, but this ding has buffalo horn-shaped tips extending from the loop handles. Similar ones have only been discovered in Xiangxiang and Ningxiang at present. Most ding have rims supporting convex covers, but the cover of this ding is flat shaped and there are concave clips at the loop handles. The legs of this ding splay more than those found in other regions. The surface is decorated mainly with S-shaped cloud design. Similar ding are mostly seen in southern China and are products of the ancient Yue people.
Swing-Handled Bronze You with Animal Design from the Spring and Autumn Period
Overall height: 50cm; maximum belly diameter: 38cm unearthed at Chishi Village, Zhajiang District, Hengyang. You is a covered bucket with a swing handle for heating or offering wine. The shape of this you was commonly seen on the Central Plain during the Western Zhou Dynasty, but the designs on it differ from those commonly seen on you found on the Central Plain. Furthermore, it was unearthed from a tomb of the Spring and Autumn Period, so it was likely an imitation of bronze you of the Central Plain during the Spring and Autumn Period, decorated with designs of local style. Both the belly and the cover are decorated with designs of animals commonly seen in southern China such as serpents and frogs. The tails of the serpents stick out, making it more difficult to cast. Apart from one unearthed at Jinqi (a small village ), Jingzhou, Xiangtan, no other bronze you with similar shape and design have thus far been found. Therefore this is likely a product of the ancient Yue people in the Xiangjiang River valley.Part:
Bronze Zun with Snake Designs from the Spring and Autumn Period
Overall height: 21cm; diameter at mouth: 15.5cm unearthed at Xialiu, Hengshan. Because the snake designs are so fine that they look like the commonly seen silkworms and there are raised designs like tree leaves on the belly of this zun, it is also named Bronze Zun with Silkworm Designs. However, as similar designs found in Hunan and Guangxi are all called snake designs, this has been renamed Bronze Zun with Snake Designs. Zun is a kind of wine vessel. The shape of this zun is frequently seen on the Central Plain in the Western Zhou Dynasty, but with different designs. The most striking feature of this zun is that the mouth brim is decorated with snake designs and the heads of the snakes are against each other two by two, with even three heads together at one place. This shows a fairly high level of casting technology. There has been one zun with similar shape but slightly different designs unearthed at Gongcheng, Guangxi. They are both products of the ancient Yue people.Part:
Bronze Ding-Tripod with Iron Legs and Inscriptions“右□刃”from the Warring States Period
Overall height: 28.5cm; belly diameter: 25.6cm unearthed on the suburbs of Changsha in the 1940s. Ding is a cooking vessel. This ding has a cover with a ring handle in the center and three lying beasts on its sides. The hoof-shaped legs are fairly high and there is a beast mask design at the top of each leg. The main body of this ding is cast bronze while the three legs are cast iron. It still needs further research to discover whether such separate casting was caused by a lack of bronze or by the fact that iron can sustain high temperature. But one thing is certain: With the development of iron-smelting technology, iron products of the Warring States Period showed much greater improvement than those of previous dynasties. Quite a few such bronze ding with iron legs have been discovered in Hunan. The three Chinese characters “右□刃”are inscribed in very fine handwriting on the inside and outside of the cover and on the inside bottom surface of the body.
Bronze Dou with Cloud Designs from the Warring States Period
Height: 23.6cm; mouth diameter: 17.5cm unearthed at Xin’ao, Xiangxiang, Hunan. Dou is a kind of food container. It is composed of the body and the cover, with the body having a much deeper belly to hold more food. It has a bell-shaped, round foot. The cover is similar to the body, with a relatively shorte handle. There is a band of cloud designs in thick line across the middle section of both the cover and the body, and the whole utensil is decorated with scrolled geometric and cloud designs. Judging by its decorative designs, this utensil seems to have had inlaid objects which are now lost. Beautifully shaped and exquisitely made, this artifact is rarely seen in the southern Chu State.
Bronze Sword with the Inscription“戉王州句”
Overall length: 56cm; width: 4.5cm unearthed at Heshanmiao, Yiyang in 1977. The sword hilt-end is missing and the two hoops on the firm body are also lost. The pommel is shaped like the Chinese character “凹” and both sides of the front of the pommel are respectively inscribed with the Chinese characters “戉王州句”(King Zhou Gou of Yue) and “自乍用剑”. There are altogether 16 characters, 12 of which are bird script cut in relief. King Zhou Gou of Yue was the son of Bu Shou and the grandson of Gou Jian. The Records of the Grand Historian says, “Bu Shou was killed in the tenth year of his reign and succeeded first by Mang Gu and then by Zhu Gou.” And the book says further, “Zhu Gou conquered the State of Teng in the 34th year of his reign and the State of Yan in the 35th year of his reign. He died in the 37th year of his reign.” Waterways Classic: Commentary on the Yi River quotes from Records from the Bamboo Scripts: “In the fourth year of Duke Lie of Jin State, King Zhu Gou of the Yue State conquered the State of Yan and returned triumphantly with the captured King Gu of the Yan State.” Zhu Gou ruled for 37 years (448 – 412, B.C.). So far ten bronze swords with the inscription “戉王州句” have been discovered. This one is slightly different from the others in the shape of the characters.
