Related News
Rare bronze wine vessel in Shanghai debut
Print Edition
AN exhibition featuring 11 bronzes from the Shang Dynasty (1600-1100 BC) on loan from Hunan Provincial Museum is showcased at Shanghai Museum through end of January, 2016. The exhibition is titled "'Min'Fanglei and Selected Bronze Vessels from Hunan."
Hunan is regarded as one of the most important and prolific areas for excavation of bronzes dating back to the Shang and Zhou (1100-256 BC) periods. This history of excavating bronze there can be traced back to as early as the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279).
Since the early 20th century, many bronzes of different cultures, rarely found in other areas, have been unearthed from Hunan. They have provided valuable material for research of ancient Chinese bronze.
"China boasts a profound and diverse culture in which bronze has played an outstanding role,?said Chen Jianming, director at Hunan Provincial Museum.
"Bronze production in China started long ago. And the bronzes from the Xia (2100-1600 BC), Shang and Zhou dynasties in the central plains are thought to be not only the achievements of highly-advanced pre-Qin (before 221 BC) period science and technology, but also prominent examples of a highly civilized system of rites and music,"he said.
"The number of the unearthed bronzes in Hunan has reached over 300 now. I am sure this exhibition will be a special art feast of bronze for the locals."
The spotlight of the exhibition undoubtedly goes to "Min"Fanglei. The 88cm-high wine vessel unearthed from a village in Hunan's Taoyuan County in 1919 is so far the largest square wine vessel from the Shang and Zhou periods ever found.
Fanglei is a style of square bronze wine vessel and this vessel got its name "Min"based on the eight characters inscribed on its lid which means that a man named Min Tianquan created the vessel for his father.
It is considered the most precious item in Hunan Provincial Museum and the Shanghai exhibition is the first time it has been shown outside Hunan.
Its decorative pattern reveals a strong sense of order, a distinct feature in the flourishing Bronze Age period in China. The vessel's journey home, however, has been long and colorful.
In 1924, a businessman purchased the body of the vessel and a regiment colonel of a local garrison bought the lid. In 1952, the lid was assigned to the Hunan Provincial Museum.
In 2014, Christie's in New York listed the body of the vessel for auction. Once the museum learned of the auction it contacted Christie's and successfully negotiated purchase.
Besides the "Min" Fanglei, visitors to the exhibition can also see other bronze wine and food vessels bearing various animal patterns and shapes.
Date: Through January 31, 9am-5pm
Venue: Shanghai Museum
Address: 201 People抯 Avenue
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
