Bronze Ware of Ancient Dian People
8 min readYunnan is in the southwestern frontier of China，and is the origin of Yuanmou man，the earliest mankind in China.Yunnan is also a main copper producing area.The region entered the Bronze Age in the 12th century BC and after hundreds of years of development，the bronze culture in Yunnan stepped into the flourishingperiod in the 4th century BC，when the Central Plains area was between the Warring States Period and the middle of the Western Han Dynasty.
Large-scale archeological and excavation activities aimed at the bronze culture in Yunnan started in the 1950s.In ancient tombs in Shizhai Mountain in Jinning，Lijia Mountain in Jiangchuan，and western part of Yunnan，more than 10，000 pieces of bronze ware，which were created by ancient Dian people，were dug up out of land，together with gold，jade and iron articles，and in particular，the snake-seated gold”Seal of the King of Dian.”
Bronze ware of the ancient Dian people directly and broadly reflected social lives，including sacrifices，wars，production and folk customs.These records of daily life can been found on bronze ware of shell containers，buttons，bottle gourd covers，pillows，needle and thread boxes，and weapons.Ancient Dian people used high-level production methods，and were able to cast articles with the lost wax process to represent scenes with complicated structures and many characters.In addition，gilt，tinning and jade inlay methods were adopted on bronze ware.
Convergence and Pluralism Westerm Han.Shell container with sacrificial scene 53cm high and a diameter of 32cm.Unearthed from Shizhai Mountain，Jinning，Yunnan Province in 1956.Kept in the National Museum of China.
Shell containers，uniquely found among the ancient Dian people，were used to store seashells.Most covers on excavated shell containers are decorated with sculptures，which reflect complex events，such as war，sacrifice，sowing seeds and weaving.There are many objects and figures on the covers，but the layout is tidy and orderly.Most of figures featured are women，who are higher and bigger than adjacent people.Some women figures are gilt.This indicates traces of matriarchy prevailed in the ancient Dian society.
Western Han. Shell container with battle scene The cover diameter is 30cm. Unearthed from Shizhai Mountain, Jinning, Yunnan Province in 1956. Kept in Yunnan Museum. The object’s body was destroyed and only one cover remained, on which 13 figures were A shell container carved with a sacrificial occasion has the highest number of figures. The 32-cm-diameter cover is cast with 127 figures.A fence-style house and two large drums are centered on the lid. In the scene, the main woman, in splendid clothes and bare feet, sits on a tall bench on the platform under the roof. Other people hold drinking vessels and sit in front of the woman. Sixteen bronze also surround the woman. On the platform, a sacrificial animal is being killed. At the back of the main sacrificial woman are a pillar and a signboard. The pillar shows the image of a snake swallowing a man, and a naked man to be punished is bound to the signboard. People in front of the naked man are beating the hanging bronze drums and Chunyu.A large kettle is placed outside the house, and bulls, goats, horses, pigs and tigers are tied up. Some have been killed, and others are being fed. On the edge of the lid are people riding horses, canying items or doing other things.
Western Han. Shell container with the scene of paying tributes 39.5cm high. Unearthed fromin Shizhai Mountain, Jinning, Yunnan Province in 1956. Kept in the National Museum of China.
Similar scenes include killing people and sacrificial bronze drums and pillars. The main sacrificial person is a woman on a palanquin. People who are to be killed for sacrifices are bound to signboards. Some people’s feet are locked up, and some people kneel down with their hands tied behind their backs. Though the size of the people is small, the details and actions are specific.
Some bronze shell containers depict hand-to-hand combat. Some commanders on horses hang the enemies’ heads under the horses, and some enemies are trampled.A close battle between infantry is more cut-throat.
Different from the scenes of sacrifices and battles, those of sowing seeds, weaving and accepting tributes reflect more peaceful atmospheres. On the lid of a bronze shell container representing a scene of receiving tributes, there are people in different ethnic costumes. They lead bulls and horses that cany tributes on their backs. Some people are old, and some are women and children. Some people are looking beyond, as if they are carefully walking on the path just beside the clif.
Warring States Period. Tiger Zebu Sacrificial Bronze 43cm high and 76cm long. Unearthed from Lijiashan, Jiangchuan, Yunnan Province in 1972. Kept in Yunnan Museum.
More bronze ware of ancient Dian people are decorated with zebus, which were the main livestock variety for the ancient Dian people. Horned zebus are portrayed on the tops of bronze bottle gourd covers, Zun and pots, and look as if they are standing on a mountain peak. When zebu herds are decorated on shell containers and thread boxes,a big zebu is in the center, surrounded by little zebus in the same direction and are lined up with equal intervals. It seems that the zebus are anxiously running forward.
On some bronze ware, some animals are depicted as harmonious and friendly creatures. On the cover of a shell container from the Warring States Period are a big zebu, three little deer and a small tiger. The zebu is licking the back of the tiger. Other images on bronze ware display animals fighting each other.
Warring States Period. Five-zebu Thread Box 31.2cm high, cover diameter 18cm. Unearthed in Lijia Mountain, Jiangchuan, Yuannan in 1972. Kept in Yunnan Museum.
The Tiger Zebu Sacrificial Bronze is a masterpiece among bronze ware of the ancient Dian people. The principal part of the bronze is a simple, large zebu. The broad back is extended to a chopping board. The belly is hollow. The front and back legs are connected through the board’s surface and the beams are at the hooves.A small zebu comes out from the square hole.A fierce tiger is biting the zebu’s tail, and is climbing up with its back, with its claws digging into the zebu’s legs.
Western Han. Three Tigers Biting Zebu Buton 9cm high and 13cm wide. Unearthed from Shizhai Mountain, Jinning, Yunnan Province in 1956. Kept in Yunnan Museum.
However, the zebu remains upright. The artwork gives a sense of heavy and solid strength. The combination of a big zebu,a small zebu and a tiger brings complex special changes, and the structures areconsistent. The surface is made up of the head, shoulders and back of the zebu creating a grand effect, and determines the artistic effect of the piece.
Western Han. Bullfight Bronze Button 9.5cm long and 5.5cm wide. Unearthed from Shizhai Mountain, Jinning, Yunnan Province in 1956. Kept in Yunnan Museum.
There are also some decorative buttons based on such social activities as sacrifices, fighting and dancing, as well as battles among animals. The subject matter and decorative methods on relief buttons of the ancient Dian People are similar to the decorative plates that were popular among nomadic groups on the northern grasslands.
Some buttons present scenes of society. For instance, there are scenes of killing people and zebus for sacrifices, soldiers’ holding enemies’ heads and escorting captured women and children, zebus and goats, and hunting tiger, deer and wild boars. All the events depicted are vivid and in detail. Some buttons present scenes of tigers, leopards and wolves hunting for herbivores. Some scenes depict a few wild beasts hunting together, and some of wolves and leopards fighting each other for prey. At the same time, there are captured animals struggling and trying to escape. Typical buttons include the Two Tigers Swallowing Boar button and the Three Tigers Biting Zebu button. On the latter,a large tiger carries the killed zebu on its back, and two tiger cubs play beside the big tiger. The bronze represents cruelty of tigers and the animals’ love for their children.
Westerm Han. Two-person Dancing Gilded Buton 12cm high and 18.5cm wide. Uneatthed from Shizhai Mountain, Jimning, Yunnan Province in 1956. Kept in Yunnan Museum.
Lively manners and gestures depicted on bronze ware indicate the ancient Dian craftsmen have carefully observed daily life and these events are reflected through extraordinary techniques of grasping the appearance and actions of creatures in the production process.
The Bullfight Bronze button unearthed in Shizhai Mountain shows the moment just before a bullfight performance. Spectators sit in the stands.A man in the middle bends down and opens the fence to free the zebus. On some pieces of work with similar scenes, some people sit beside the fence gate, with pheasant feathers on their heads. They may perhaps be necromancers or performers. Some buttons show happy occasions, such as two and eight people dancing. The Eight-person Dancing button, discovered in Shizhai Mountain, has two layers that depict performers on the stage and the accompanying band in the orchestra pit.
The whole button is gilt, so the happy atmosphere becomes more intense. Winding long snakes are on the lower edges of most bronze buttons.
Western Han. Male Statue holding Umbrella 50cm high. Unearthed from Shizhai Mountain, Jinning, Yunnan Province in 1956.
Bronze weapons and tools of the ancient Dian people were often added to many lively three-dimensional decorations. The scene of fighting between a tiger and a bear, and that of dogs capturing fish is illustrated on the tip of a spear. The scene of birds trampling snakes is shown on the edge of an axe. Ospreys and three men herding zebus can be seen on the tip of an arrow. Monkeys or foxes can be found on the edge of a battle-axe, while peacocks and rabbits are cast on sticks. Some bronze sculptures reflect daily life and customs at that time.
On the handle of the Lietouwen Sword discovered on Lijia Mountain,a necromancer is holding a sword and a man’s head. On the Xuanfu Spear unearthed on Shizhai Mountain, two naked slaves with their hands tied behind their backs are cast on both sides of the edge.
There are larger, individual bronze statues of men and women holding umbrellas. In general the statues are40-50cm high. The figures wear splendid clothes and many accessories. They don’t wear shoes, but kneel down or squat, and hold the umbrella handle with both hands. The facial features and figure proportions are precise and present respectful and restrained expressions.
Bronze ware of the ancient Dian people represents the true, specific daily life at that time in many aspects, including the oppression of the upper classes to lower classes, bloody battles, pleasure in life and fantastic imagination. The bronze ware has particular value in ancient art history and precious cultural values.
