Inscriptions in the Shang Dynasty
2 min readThe number of inscribed characters on bronze ware of the Shang Dynasty is usually low，sometimes two or three.Some inscriptions are tribe marks created with figures and characters，some are names of the craftsmen，and some are posthumous titles of sacrificed ancestors.Despite of the limited number of characters，inscriptions and bronze ware in the Shang Dynasty represent flourishing mentality and confident creativity.
Simuwu Ding and Simuxin Ding of Fuhao tomb are typical.Each of them has inscribed three Chinese characters.The character layout seems grand.The character Si for Simuwu is at the top.Its strokes form a triangle，so the character has a structural center.Though the layout is not symmetrical，the characters convey a stable structure.The strokes are properly arranged and the spaces between strokes are appropriate in size.The character Mu for Simuxin is vertically extended and is put on the right side，responding to the other two characters.The last stroke of character Xin is very powerful.The strokes of the characters in both inscriptions are soft and hard，light and heavy，thin and thick.
Shang.Xiaochen Yu Rhinoceros Zun inscription The inscription，totaling 27 Chinese characters in four lines，records that Xiaochen Yu（a noble in the late Shang Dynasty）followed the Emperor of the Shang Dynasty to attack the kingdom of Fan and was rewarded by the emperor and made the vessel to record the achievement.
In late Shang Dynasty，some inscriptions consisted of more characters，such as those on the Shusizi Ding and Xiaochenyuxi Zun. These inscriptions represent different calligraphic styles. The characters inscribed onthe Shusizi Ding are straight in rows and columns, and one character decorates adjacent ones. The inscription on the vessel starts an official precise, orderly inscription style. The font of the inscription on the Xiaochenyuxi Zun is fat and consistent. The strokes change in size, weight and space.
