Page 198 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

series utilizing a common design. (The third largest Two ding with animal-shaped legs and handles
of the Dayangzhou flat-legged ding features a differ- that incorporate animal forms were among the
ent decoration and to that degree does not fit first bronze vessels associated with the Wucheng
the set.) culture. 2 Like the Dayangzhou vessels, their legs,
This ding is impressive both for its design and flanges, and standing ornaments were separately
for the quality of its execution. The three legs are cast and then mounted in the ceramic mold as-
slightly modeled in cross section, and their dra- sembly used to cast the bowl; casting locked these
matic silhouettes (plausibly representing dragons) elements in place. The Dayangzhou tomb also
are enlivened by many hooks and curls. The ani- contained three stone legs of similar shape; it has
mal's mouth is spread open at the point where the been suggested that they were used for a ding made
3
foot meets the shallow bowl; a row of sharp teeth is from some perishable material such as lacquer. RT
clearly seen on the lower jaw; the upper jaw seems
to be elaborated as a trunk. The register on the 1 Excavated in 1989 (XDM:i4); reported: Jiangxi 1997,18.
2 Fong 1980, no. 17.
bowl is given over to more conventional mask motifs 3 Jiangxi 1997,153.
within a circle band; hooked flanges are aligned
with the legs and at each midpoint. The swallowtail
motif seen on theyan steamer (cat. 61) encircles
the rim of this ding.

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