Bronze Water Vessels

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The water vessel is also a kind of ritual bronze.Compared with food and wine vessels，the bronze water vessel is small in terms of type and quantity.The water vessel was mainly used for washing before and after rituals offering sacrifices to deities or ancestors and banquets，showing sincerity.The water vessel can be divided into the water injector，water-carying vessel and water container.

Pan

Pan is a vessel used for canying water.In the practices of offering sacrifices and banquets in the Shang and Zhou dynasties，the participant must go through the rite of washing hands，which stipulates pouring water onto the hands and carying the used water with a tray.Pan，first seen in the early Shang Dynasty，became popular in the late Shang Dynasty and lasted until the Warring States Period.

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Western Zhou.Shigiang Pan 16.2cm high，spout diameter 47.3cm，and weighs 12.5kg.Unearthed from Fufeng，Shaanxi Province in 1976.Kept in Zhouyuan Cultural Relics Administration.At the bottom there are 284 Chinese characters in 18 lines.

Pan in the Shang Dynasty features a large spout，shallow belly and high ring-shaped stand，some with twolegs.Pan was normally decorated with designs of aquatic creatures or amphibians such as fish，frogs and dragons.When the Pan is full of water，the images under the water will produce a vivid effect with water refraction.

Since the Zhou Dynasty some Pan feature long inscriptions，for example Shiqiang Pan（a historiographer named Qiang）and Sanshi Pan（Shiren Pan）and massive Guoji Zibai Pan.The ancient people normally“cast important documents record merits on Pan and Yu（jar），”and from that we know，Pan and Yu were important carriers of ritual ceremonies and records since the Western Zhou Dynasty.

Yi is a vase-shaped pitcher used during the hand-washing rite，normally used together with the Pan.A younger person carries the Pan to cany the used water while a senior person uses the Yi to pour the water in the ritual procedure.Yi is in the shape of Gong without a cap，flat and long，with a spout on the front and a handle on the rear，with four legs.

Western Zhou-the Spring and Autumn Period. Qihou Yi 24.7cm high,48.1 cm long, and weighs 6.42kg. Kept in Shanghai Museum. There are 22 Chinese characters in four lines at the bottom of the belly, recording that Qihou made the Yi for his wife Ji Liangnu, the eldest daughter of the King of the Guo Kingdom.

Yi emerged in the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty, became popular later in that period and early in the Warring States Period; but gradually the bronze ware started to disappear when the rite of washing hands was abandoned.

Qihou Yi, in the Shanghai Museum’s collection, was made sometime in the late Western Zhou Dynasty to the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). The craftsman added parallel channel designs to the vessel according to its function, producing an impression of free flowing water. The handle is in the shape of a small dragon with the dragon’s head biting the tail of Yi, looking like it is stretching forward to drink water. With four legs in the shape of animal paws, it like carrying Yi full of water and walking slowly. It is a successful model integrating design and function.

Yu is a water container with a deep belly and legs, looking like Gui but in a larger size. Confucius once compared the emperor to Yu and the people to water, and said when Yu was square, the water would be in the shape of square; when Yu was round, the water would be in a round shape. Famous Yu works of the Western Zhou Dynasty include Yanhou Yu and Bo Yu and so on.

Western Zhou. Yanhou Yu 24.5cm high, spout diameter 33.8cm, and weighs 6.45kg. Excavated from Kazuo county, Liaoning Province in 1955. It is now in the National Museum of China. Five Chinese characters were inscribed on the inner wall of the vessel, recording the event of Yanhou making the Yu.

Jian

Jian is a large water container, which was used to cary ice cubes. When full of water, it was also used as a mirror. That is why a mirror is also called “Jian.”It emerged in the middle Spring and Autumn Period andbecame popular later in that period and the Warring States Period. Jian is simple in form and structure, normally large in size with a large spout, folded rim, slightly restrained neck, deep belly, even bottom or shallow ring-shaped legs, with two or four legs.

Fuchai(King of Wu) Jian of the Spring and Autumn Period unearthed in Huixian, Henan, is 45cm high, spout diameter 73cm, and decorated with splendid and detailed Panhui designs. Animal ears with rings were

cast on both sides of Jian. On both the front and back are crouching tigers climbing up towards the rim. The image and use of the animals reflect the unique craftsmanship of the designer.

Spring and Autumn Period. Fuchai(Wu’s King) Jian 45cm high, spout diameter 73cm, and weighs 54kg. It was said the object H5N was excavated from Huixian, Henan Province in 1943. Kept in Shanghai Museum. There are 13 Chinese characters in two lines, recording the event of Fuchai, the King of Wu, making the bronze Jian.

Two sets of luxury Zenghou Yi(fief kingdom noble named Yi) Jian and Fou(jar with big belly and small spout) unearthed from Zenghou Yi tomb, were designed especially for cooling wine, consisting of square Jianwhich carried the ice cubes and square Fou which were used for canying wine. Jian and Fou feature precise structures and splendid appearance, reflecting advanced cast techniques of that time.

Warring States Period. Zenghou Yi Jian and Fou 63.2cm high, and spout diameter 63cm. Unearthed from the Zenghou Yitomb in Suixian, Hubei Province in 1978. Kept in Hubei Museum. It has an inscription of seven Chinese characters, recording the object was made by Zenghou Yi.