Page 282 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

pentine creatures in a style that is characteristically
Zeng. By the fourth century, pedestaled gui had
1 Excavated in 1978 (C 108); reported: Hubei 1989,1:207-
become part of the Chu repertoire of ritual vessels 209, and 2: pis. 58:1-2. Inscribed on both the inside wall
and endured as a form until the states demise in of the vessel and on the lid: "Marquis Yi of Zeng commis-
223 BCE. 4 sioned [this vessel]; may he possess and use it for eter-
nity."
The gui, its pedestal, and lid were originally 2 For a discussion of vessel sets, see Yu and Gao 1978 -1979;
inlaid with turquoise, a few fragments of which still Rawson and Bunker 1990, 37-38.
3 See, for example, the set of nine ding and li and seven gui
survive in the cast-in arabesques and abstract bird
from Jingshan Songhequ Sujialong. Hubei 1972, 47-53
shapes. The practice of inlaying bronze vessels with and pis. 9-10.
other materials began in the late seventh or early 4 See, for example, the gui from Shouxian Zhujiaji
sixth century BCE; inlays were primarily copper Lisangudui, illustrated in So 1995, 70, fig. 128.
during the early period, and sparing use was made
of such decoration. This vessel, by contrast, in
which turquoise was used lavishly to cover the
entire surface, is characteristic of the exuberant
decorative scheme of many of Marquis Yi's food
vessels (see cat. 94). CM

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