Page 50 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

that is attached to the handle with a chain. Some rare examples are
square in shape, in which case they are supported by four cylindrical
legs.

By the end of the Shang 商 dynasty, the he 盉 undergoes morphological
changes and its body becomes globular.

With the Western Zhou 西周 dynasty (circa 12 /11 centuries – 771 B.C.)
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the morphological changes become more pronounced. The he’s盉 body
can be either round, or flat, or oblong, or, most rarely, it can assume
the shape of a hybrid animal (See drawing & photo on pages 46-47).
During the Spring and Autumn 春秋 period (circa 770 – 476 B.C.), the
vessel is sometimes circular and is supported on four small, stylized-
animal-shaped legs.

This ewer-type vessel disappears by the end of the Warring States 戰
國 period (circa 475 – 221 B.C.) or the beginning of the Han 漢 dynasty
(circa 206 B.C. or afterwards).

Hu 壺

The classification hu 壺 is used in Chinese to denote large vase and
jar-shaped vessels of various forms which, despite their morphological
differences, share a certain number of characteristics which include a
bulbous body which narrows around its shoulders, a long neck and a
ring foot. Sometimes the hu 壺 has a cover, lateral handles or suspended
handles and a chain.

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Hu, Shang dynasty, Yinxu period (circa 14 – 12 /11 centuries B.C.)
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Height: 30.8 cm – Meiyintang Collection n° 176.
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