Page 206 - Deydier VOL.2 Meiyintang Collection of Chinese Bronses

200. Ritual bronze pouring vessel yi
Eastern Zhou dynasty, Warring States period, circa 5 - 3 centuries bc.
th
rd
東周戰國時期青銅匜
Length: 24.2 cm

A pouring vessel yi with a shallow, rounded, rectangular Provenance:
body supported by three short legs. The front section of ▪ J.T. Tai Collection, New York, U.S.A.
the vessel ends in a spout in the form of the head of a wide- ▪ Sotheby’s, New York, 22 March, 2011.
nd
mouthed roaring beast with large protruding rectangular ▪ Galerie Christian Deydier, Paris, France.
eyes, thick eyelashes, a wide pug nose and long, curled
horns at the back of its head, all in high relief. Exhibited:
▪ Sotheby’s, New York, 22 March, 2011, catalogue
nd
Bronze with a light green patina. no. 187.
▪ Bestiaire extraordinaire de la Chine ancienne, Galerie
Christian Deydier, Paris 2011.

Published:
▪ Sotheby’s, New York, 22 March, 2011, catalogue
nd
no. 187.
▪ Deydier Ch., Bestiaire extraordinaire de la Chine
ancienne, Paris 2011.
Similar example:
▪ A very similar yi excavated in 1923 at Lijialou,
Xinzheng, Henan, is illustrated by So J., Eastern Zhou
Ritual Bronzes from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections,
Vol. III, Washington 1995, p. 346, fig. 69.1.
Note:
▪ According to some scholars, yi pouring vessels were
used to pour water into the basin-like ritual vessel pan.
According to the Zuo Zhuan,《左傳》or Commentary
of Zuo, which was composed before 389 bc. and is
one of China’s earliest works of narrative history, the
yi was used to pour water to wash celebrants’ hands
during specific ceremonies.

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