Page 89 - Sotheby's NYC September 20 2022 Forging An Empire Bronzes

Fig. 1 Portrait of King Zhao, Qing dynasty, Fig. 2 Portrait of King Wu, Ming dynasty, anonymous Fig. 3 Portrait of King Cheng, Qing dynasty, anonymous Fig. 4 Portrait of King Kang, Qing dynasty, anonymous
anonymous artist, illustrated in Zhongguo lidai artist, illustrated in Zhongguo lidai mingren huaxiangpu / artist, illustrated in Zhongguo lidai mingren huaxiangpu / artist, illustrated in Zhongguo lidai mingren huaxiangpu /
mingren huaxiangpu / Ancient Portraits of China, Ancient Portraits of China, Fuzhou, 2003, p.18 Ancient Portraits of China, Fuzhou, 2003, p. 19 Ancient Portraits of China, Fuzhou, 2003, p. 20
Fuzhou, 2003, p. 21
圖二 周武王 明人繪 錄於《中國歷代名人畫像譜》，福 圖三 周成王 清人繪 錄於《中國歷代名人畫像譜》，福 圖四 周康王 清人繪 錄於《中國歷代名人畫像譜》，福
圖一 昭王畫像 清人繪 錄於《中國歷代名人畫像譜》 州，2003年，頁18 州，2003年，頁19 州，2003年，頁20
，福州，2003年，頁21

(vol. 13, Northern Song dynasty, Yayutang edition, Qianlong 27th year (1762), pp 1-2); the Shi Qiang Pan With the northern, eastern and western frontiers already secured upon ascending the throne, King Zhao
史牆盤, a national treasure of China, discovered in 1976 in Shaanxi, now in the Zhouyuan Museum, Baoji, turned his focus to the south. He initiated two military campaigns to the south, one on the 15th year of
published in Zhang Tianen, Shaanxi jinwen jicheng [Compendium of bronze inscriptions from Shaanxi], his reign, against the Chujing, and the other on the 17th year, against the Hufang 虎方, in combination
vol. 2, Xi’an, 2016, no. 0167; and the Lai Pan 逨盤, a masterwork with an extraordinarily long inscription, with a southern inspection tour, which ultimately led to his tragic death.
excavated in 2003 in Shaanxi, currently preserved in the Baoji Bronze Ware Museum, Baoji, published in
ibid., vol. 6, no. 0668. The stability of the south had always been a strategic focus of the Zhou rulers. Not long after the
founding of the Zhou, a number of hou 侯 (marquis) were conferred by the Zhou kings at the southern
King Zhao (fig. 1), as the fourth king of Zhou, inherited a prosperous empire from his predecessors. His border. These marquises were military officials in charge of guarding and expanding Zhou land in the
great grandfather, King Wu (fig. 2), conquered the Shang after the epic battle of Muye and founded the south (see Zhu Fenghan, 2013, p. 10). The metal-rich lands of the south were another reason for King
Zhou dynasty. Learning from his predecessor, who was weakened by prolonged conflicts with the Dongyi Zhao’s investment in this region (see Yang Kuan, 2003, p. 637). As indicated by bronze inscriptions,
東夷, hostile tribes to the east, King Wu’s primary objective upon establishing the Zhou empire was many of the personnel who participated in King Zhao’s military campaigns were rewarded with materials
to solidify the eastern border by launching attacks on the Dongyi. His son and successor King Cheng which were then used to cast bronze vessels, including the owner of the present lot. Zhao Yanjiao and Wu
(fig. 3) followed in his footsteps. Together with his loyal regent and mentor, the Duke of Zhou 周公, King Weihua further suggest that one of the important factors contributing to the development of the Zhou
Cheng expanded the border into the east by conquering the tribes of Dongyi. During the period of the bronze style is the abundant supply of bronze material resulting from King Zhao’s southern expeditions
third King Kang (fig. 4), another major campaign was launched against the Dongyi, which concluded (2018, p. 58).
with the grand victory of the Zhou empire. In addition to the successes on the eastern front, King Kang
also launched military actions to stabilize the northern and the western borders of the Zhou territory At the beginning of the Western Zhou dynasty, Chujing, or Chu, was one of the clans in the south of the
(see Yang Kuan, 2003, pp 549-555). empire. According to Shiji: Chushijia (Records of the Grand Historian: the family history of Chu), King

宋，雅雨堂刊本，乾隆二十七年（1762年），圖版 昭王（圖一）乃周朝第四代天子，繼先王偉績，其 東、西、北方既已無虞，昭王繼位後便將戰略重心 分擔軍事，戍邊擴疆（見朱鳳瀚，2013年，頁10）
1-2）；再如史牆盤，國之重寶，1976年陝西省出 曾祖周武王（圖二），發牧野之戰，伐紂滅商，建 集中在南方。昭王兩次南征，第一次於十五年征伐 。南地多產稀貴金屬，此為昭王南征另一用意（見
土，現藏寶雞周原博物館，見張天恩，《陝西金文 立周朝；因商王與東夷纏鬥，致殷商兵力羸弱，有 楚荊，第二次於十七年攻伐虎方並行南巡，然卻南 楊寬，2003年，頁637）。通過青銅銘文可知，昭
集成》，卷2，西安，2016年，編號0167；又如逨 鑑於此，武王建朝之初便揮師東夷，以安東境。 巡不返，以悲劇告終。 王賞賚軍功，多賜青銅以資鑄器，恰如此簋。趙燕
盤，國寶重器，鑄長銘，史學價值極高，2003年陝 周成王（圖三）承襲父業，命攝政賢臣周公旦東 昭王南征，旨在鞏固。歷代周天子視南境安穩為 姣及吳偉華研究另述，昭王南征保證了銅錫資源供
西省出土，現存寶雞青銅器博物院，見前述出處， 征降夷。至周康王（圖四），東夷平定，西、北二 戰略要務，建朝之初，已在南境分地封侯；諸侯 給，為周代青銅器風格發展提供了可能（2018年，
卷六，編號0668。 境亦得安攘，周朝乃開盛世（見楊寬，2003年，頁 頁58）。
549-555）。

86 POWER / CONQUEST: THE FORGING OF EMPIRES