Page 44 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

together form the basic set of vessels found in Shang 商 tombs. The late
Shang gu 觚 is taller, slimmer and more elegant, and can be entirely
covered with decor.

This shape disappears around the 10 century B.C. during the early
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Western Zhou 西周 period.

Gui 簋

Often termed a duan 段 in bronze inscriptions, the gui 簋 was principally
used to hold cooked rice, millet and sorghum. The vessel is composed
of a circular, bowl-like body supported on a ring foot and may have
two, three or, more rarely, four large semi-circular lateral handles. The
same-shaped vessel, but without such handles is called a yu 盂 (See
photo on page 20).

Rare during the Erligang 二里崗 period (circa 17 /16 – 14 centuries
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th
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B.C.) of the early Shang 商 dynasty, the gui 簋 of that time has a bowl-
shaped body with a thin lip, a ring foot and two lateral handles. A
wonderful example of an early Erligang 二里崗 gui 簋, perhaps the
earliest so far discovered, was excavated in 1974 from tomb M1 at
Lijiazui 李家嘴, Panlongcheng 盤龍城 , Hubei 湖北 province.

Still quite rare at the beginning of the Yinxu 殷墟 period (circa 14 –
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12 /11 centuries B.C.) of the Shang 商 dynasty, the gui 簋 begins to
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become much more popular at the end of the Shang 商 dynasty and
throughout the beginning of the early Western Zhou 西周, and becomes
one of the most important bronze vessels used in rituals.

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Gui, early or middle Western Zhou dynasty (circa 10 century B.C.)
Height: 15.2 cm, length: 21.8 cm – Meiyintang Collection n° 98.
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