Page 32 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

the Yinxu 殷墟 Shang 商 dynasty archaeological sites in modern-day
Anyang 安陽 in Henan 河南 province, the dou 豆 seems to have first
appeared in bronze only around the 9 century B.C..
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This bronze vessel was most popular during the Spring and Autumn 春
秋 and Warring States 戰國 periods of the Eastern Zhou 東周 dynasty
(circa 770 – 256 B.C.).

Dui 敦

This round vessel which is surmounted by a cover or top section of the
same shape and often the same size, was most probably used both to
hold and to serve food.

Although the dui 敦 is already described in the Erya 爾雅, written in the
3 century B.C., as an ‘entirely spherical’ vessel, it was the antiquarians
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of the Song 宋 dynasty who began using the term dui 敦 exclusively to
refer to such spherical vessels.

First appearing towards the end of the 6 century B.C., this type of
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vessel disappears towards the middle of the 4 century B.C. during the
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Warring States 戰國 period.

Dui, Warring States period (circa 475 – 221 B.C.)
Height: 31.5 cm – Meiyintang Collection n° 110.
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