Page 71 - Deydier UNDERSTANDING CHINESE ARCHAIC BRONZES

By the middle of the Western Zhou 西周 dynasty, the morphology of
the li 鬲 changes slightly, with the vessel becoming much smaller, and
its handles being either fixed to the sides of the vessel or disappearing
completely. The three lobes become less visible and are supported by
three short thin legs, either cylindrical or cabriole-shaped, and the lip
or the rim can be sharply flared or everted and flat.

The li 鬲 shape disappears at the beginning of the Spring and Autumn
春秋 period (circa 770 – 476 B.C.)

Liding 鬲鼎

This controversial name was used for the first time by Professor B.
Kalgren and is based on the translation of a bronze inscription which
means, according to different scholars, either “a li 鬲 and a ding 鼎” or
“a liding” 鬲鼎.

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Liding, Shang dynasty, Yinxu period (circa 14 – 12 /11 centuries B.C.)
Height: 20.8 cm – Private Collection.
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