Page 142 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

The Fabulous Bird or ‘Phoenix’ Motif 神鳥鳳凰紋
During the Shang 商 dynasty, birds were very often used as a secondary
motif on ritual bronze vessels and appeared in the form of a small bird
with either a long or a short tail, a long or short crest, etc.

During the Western Zhou 西周 dynasty (circa 12 /11 centuries –
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771 B.C.), however, bird motifs became far more prominent and large
on ritual vessels, and especially so during the reigns of King Mu 穆
王 (circa 976 – 922 B.C.) and King Gong 共王 (circa 922 – 900 B.C.),
when they became the principal decorative element on many vessels,
effectively replacing the taotie 饕餮 mask in importance. This large
bird or ‘phoenix’ motif was characteristic of this period of transition
when changes occurred in the role of bronze vessels, which, although
still used in spirit and ancestor worship ceremonies, also became
objects cast to commemorate special events in the lives of the dukes or
others members of the aristocracy by whom they were commissioned,
events such as the bestowal of a special honour, title, gift, etc. on him
by the Zhou King, a family marriage, a victory in battle, etc.

For the ancient Chinese, the mythological feng huang 鳳凰 or phoenix
was a fabulous, sacred bird, the harbinger of auspiciousness and
a mediary between the mystical world and the world of men. The
marvellously beautiful, graceful, richly plumed, long-tailed bird
eventually came to be regarded as the symbol of the royal queen, the
empress, of the wife and the female ideal. Even today, in all areas
touched by Chinese culture, the dragon and phoenix symbol appears
on wedding announcements, decorations, etc. as symbols of the couple,
be they royal or of more humble backgrounds.

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Bird motif, detail of the of the you, early Western Zhou dynasty (circa 11 - 10 centuries B.C.)
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Meiyintang Collection n° 31.
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