Page 246 - Important Chinese Art Sothebys March 2019

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AN EXTREMELY RARE SET OF SEVEN this form of bronze bell with a shank and the inscription on the present bell set consists
ARCHAIC BRONZE RITUAL BELLS a lug, or yongzhong, was one of the most of nine characters, which can also be found on
(ZHONG) important musical instruments of the Zhou the cover of an early Western Zhou dynasty
WESTERN ZHOU DYNASTY dynasty. Instead of being suspended vertically bronze you. the cover is cast to the interior
like a bozhong, a yongzhong was made to
wall with a long inscription, which begins its
each bell of pointed oval section with the two be hung at an angle. Large percussion sets, sentence with the same nine characters. see
sides rising up in an arc, set on each side with comprising yongzhong and other bells, were Wu Zhenfeng, Shangzhou qingtongqi mingwen
rows of evenly distributed bosses, divided by played during rituals and banquets of the ji tuxiang jicheng [Compendium of Inscriptions
two horizontal bands of stylized bird motifs and aristocracy. according to the Zhouli [the rites and Images of Bronzes from shang and Zhou
one vertical band enclosing a nine-character of Zhou], from the eastern Zhou, only kings, Dynasties], vol. 24, shanghai, 2012, no. 13345.
inscription reading wei shi you er yue wang marquises and other select members of the surviving Western Zhou dynasty bronze bells
chu X pang, all above a band of highly stylized aristocracy were entitled to possess such are rarely found in sets. only a few examples
taotie mask, the flat top similarly decorated bronze bells, which in turn symbolized social appear to be published, including a set of eight
with a pair of taotie masks, surmounted by a tall status becoming auspicious gifts among the known as the Zuo Zhong, from the middle to
tapering tubular shaft with a bulged mid-section aristocratic class. It is believed that these late Western Zhou dynasty, excavated in Qijia
issuing a loop handle decorated with a raised bells were made only with refined material on village, Fufeng county, shaanxi province in
animal head and leiwen, the surface patinated an auspicious day and their completion was 1960, now in the shaanxi history museum,
with malachite encrustation, fitted stands (14) celebrated with receptions where guests could Xi’an, published in Bronzes of Shang and Zhou
height of tallest 17¼ in., 43.8 cm enjoy the tunes and the original golden sheen Dynasties Unearthed in Shaanxi Province,
of the newly cast bells; see Feng Guangsheng, Beijing, 1980, pls 156-163; another set of
PROVENANCE ‘Chime-bells. musical Instruments’, Artistic sixteen bells known as the Jinhou mu Zhong,
sotheby’s new York, 20th march 2002, lot 22. Style of Cultural Relics from the Tomb of dated to the reign of King Li of Zhou (890-828
Zenghouyi, Wuhan, 1991, p. 158.
BC), discovered from tomb no. 8 in Qu village,

244 SOTHEBY’S Important ChInese art