Page 57 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

Jia 斝

This vessel used for warming fermented beverages is very similar to
the jue 爵 but differs from it in its larger size and its lack of a pouring
spout. From the upper rims of the jia’s body, which can be round
or cylindrical, with a flat bottom or a round one, has two vertical
protuberances surmounted by knobs arise. The vessel’s semi-circular
lateral handle can sometimes be decorated with a wonderful animal
head cast in the round.

The term jia 斝 is mentioned for the first time in the Liji 禮記 (The
Classic of Rites of the Zhou), where a commentary by Zheng Xuan 鄭玄
says that the jia 斝 was used by the King for making fermented beverage
libations during rituals, while the jue 爵 was used for the same purpose
by those of the rank of Marquis. A pictogram carved on an oracle bone,
jiaquwen 甲骨文, from the Shang 商 dynasty strongly resembles the
shape of this vessel.

Jia 斝 vessels appear as early as the end of the Xia 夏 dynasty. Some
were excavated from Stages III and IV tombs in the Erlitou 二里頭
(circa 18 – 17 /16 centuries B.C.) area. These primitive examples
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have a flat bottom, a body narrowing at the middle, a semi-circular
lateral handle, two vertical protuberances surmounted by knobs, and
three triangular legs, which can sometimes be hollow, similar to those
on a vessel li 鬲 (See pages 66-68).

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Jia, Shang dynasty, Yinxu period (circa 14 – 12 /11 centuries B.C.)
Height: 33.5 cm – Meiyintang Collection n° 172.
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