Page 289 - The Golden Age of Chinese Archaeology: Celebrated Discoveries from the People’s Republic of China

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Pair of bronze hu jars with stand "crowns," fit into circular openings in the stand
(jin). Horizontal ridges inside the vessels are evi-
hu: height 99 (39) dence that each was cast in three pours of metal. 2
!
stand: height 13.2 (5 V 4), width 117.5 (46 /4), The vessel handles and the supports for the stand
!
depth 13.2 (5 /4) were cast separately and attached with a tin-lead
Warring States Period (c. 433 BCE) solder.
From Leigudun, Suixian, Hubei Province
The set was found in the central chamber, next
Hubei Provincial Museum, Wuhan to the jian-fou wine coolers (cat. 97) and the zun-
pan (cat. 95). Depictions of ritual scenes on fifth-
With its highly articulated profile, sharp angles, century BCE pictorial bronze vessels show hu, with
and heavy appendages, this monumental set of ladles, placed on stands or low altars; descriptions
1
ritual wine vessels epitomizes an architectonic of hu in the Yi li (Book of ceremonial) also prescribe
approach to form characteristic of many of Marquis ladles and jin as part of the ritual paraphernalia. 3
Yi's bronze vessels. Two lidded hu, with detachable It seems possible that the ladles placed on the

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