Page 46 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

Towards the end of the 11 century B.C., the gui 簋 begins sometimes
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to have a cover and its original ring foot is replaced by three small
legs (See photo on page 156) or a large, high cubical stand, sometimes
larger than the vessel itself. These are known as fangzuo gui 方座簋
(square-based gui 簋) in Chinese (See photo on page 135).

With the increased emphasis on hierarchy and status which came
about with the codification of Li 禮 or rites during the Western Zhou 西
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周 dynasty (circa 12 /11 centuries – 771 B.C.), the number of gui 簋,
like the number of ding 鼎 permitted to be used in rituals or burials,
was strictly regulated, with eight gui 簋 used for a King and six for a
prince and/or for a very high ranking official. Thus during the Western
Zhou 西周, sets of ding 鼎 and gui 簋 were essential for all important
rituals carried out by the high nobility.

He 盉

The exact use of this ewer or kettle-like vessel in ancient times is
difficult to determine. Every scholar agrees that this type of vessel
was designed to pour liquid but the question is which kind, water or
fermented beverages, or a mixture of both? According the Shuowen
jiezi 說文解字, the ‘Analytical Dictionary of Characters’, one of
China’s earliest dictionaries, compiled by the lexicologist Xu Shen 許慎
during the Han 漢 dynasty, the he 盉 was used to mix sauces. However,
modern scholars like Wang Guowei 王國維 and Li Xueqin 李學勤 class
the he 盉 in the category of vessels used to mix water and fermented

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He, Shang dynasty, Erligang period (circa 17 /16 – 14 centuries B.C.)
Height: 23 cm – Meiyintang Collection n° 20.
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