Page 157 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

A very few full-bodied hare or rabbit bronze vessels are also known, one
being a realistically cast Western Zhou 西周 rabbit zun 尊 excavated
in 1992 from the tomb of the Duke of Jin 晉侯 at Quwo 曲沃, Shanxi
山西 province.

The Principal Geometric Motifs 幾何紋 of the Shang 商 and
Zhou 周 Periods

The Thunder or Leiwen Motif 雷紋

The leiwen, literally ‘thunder’ motif 雷紋, is the most common
secondary motif found on bronze vessels from the Shang 商 to Western
Zhou 西周 periods. Cast in the form of round or square spirals tightly
packed with finger-print-like swirls, leiwen 雷紋 usually served to fill
in the spaces behind and around the primary motifs featured in the
vessel’s decor (See photo on page 109).

The Jiongwen or “Revolving Flame” Motif 冏紋

The jiongwen, literally ‘flame’ 火光 motif, is also called the ‘wowen’
渦紋 or ‘vortex’ motif and was a common motif on bronze vessels
from the Erligang 二里崗 period of the early Shang 商 dynasty, up to
and throughout the Western Zhou 西周 period. According to the late
eminent scholar and specialist in ancient Chinese bronze vessels, Ma
Chengyuan 馬承源, the jiongwen or “flame motif” 冏紋 was the symbol
of the god of fire, one of the most important gods in the ancient Chinese
pantheon, who was widely worshipped during the Xia 夏, Shang 商 and
Zhou 周 dynasties as the source of fire, one of nature’s greatest gifts to
mankind.

Jiongwen “Revolving flame” motif on jia, Shang dynasty, late Erligang, early Yinxu period (circa
th
th
14 – 13 centuries B.C.) – Meiyintang Collection n° 170.
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