Page 27 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

Ding 鼎

The ding 鼎 is the most important vessel in Chinese tradition and
history. Since the origin of Chinese civilization, the ding 鼎 has been
considered the symbol par excellence of the legitimacy of supreme
royal power. Thus, the ability to produce or obtain a ding 鼎, and
to continue to possess a ding 鼎 was considered a concrete sign of
heaven-bestowed legitimacy and continuing heavenly protection and
favour. Confirmation of this can be found in the classical books and
especially the Zhouli 周禮 (The Rites of Zhou, written during the Spring
and Autumn 春秋 period (circa 770-476 B.C. ) and the Zuozhuan 左傳
(Variously translated as Zuo’s Annals of the Spring and Autumn, The
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Chronicles of Zuo, etc. written in the 5 century B.C. by Zuo Qiuming 左
丘明). During the Zhou 周 dynasty, ding 鼎 vessels were always placed
in uneven numbers in a tomb, with a set of nine ding 鼎 reserved for
the king or emperor.

As a food container and cooking vessel, the ding 鼎 constitutes the
most important category of vessels in the corpus of ritual bronzes. It
is composed of a round, bowl-shaped body surmounted by two large
handles and supported on three cylindrical legs. Over the centuries
its morphology changes, with each modification being typical of its
specific period.

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Ding, Shang dynasty, Yinxu period (circa 14 – 12 /11 centuries B.C.)
Height: 24 cm – Private Collection.
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