Introduction of Some Relics in Henan Museum

 　01

　　Fang Ding (square ritual food vessel) with Taotie and Nipple Patterns

　　Period: Early Shang Dynasty (1600 - 1300 B.C.)

　　Size: Height 87 cm; Mouth Diameter 61 cm

　　Time of Excavation: 1974

　　Place of Excavation: Zhangzhai Nanjie, Zhengzhou

　　Ding was an important vessel for ancient Chinese to sacrifice and feast, and had been seen as a symbol of the imperial power. It is said that Da Yu divided the ancient China into 9 states and ordered to make 9 dings to represent them respectively. Thus, “making ding” in history was also construed as establishing capital by a new dynasty.

　　This vessel body is produced in a square shape. Its middle-upper part is decorated with taotie patterns, and the four sides are decorated with ripple patterns, the patterns being very popular in Shang and Zhou Dynasties. Taotie (a mythical ferocious animal) is cast on the most striking part of the vessel, seemingly indicating the majesty of slave owners and threat to slaves and demonstrating the imperial demeanor and ferocious beauty. This well-cast bronze ding weighs 84.5 kg, and it is the largest bronze vessel of early Shang Dynasty that we have found.

　　Central China’s Zhengzhou is where the Shang Dynasty founded capital, which can be proved by the excavation of fang ding (square ritual food vessel) with taotie and nipple patterns in Zhengzhou. In addition, this vessel also evidences the superb bronze casting techniques and decorative arts in early Shang Dynasty.

　　02

　　Name: Lotus and Crane Fang Hu (square ewer)

　　Period: Spring and Autumn Period (771 - 476 B.C.)

　　Size: Height 117 cm; Mouth: length 30.5 cm, width

　　24.9 cm

　　Time of Excavation: 1923

　　Place of Excavation: Lijia Lou, Xinzheng

　　If bronze ware of Shang and Zhou Dynasties discovered in Henan is a must for studying China’s bronze art, lotus and crane fang hu (square ewer), the most representative bronze in Shang and Zhou Dynasties, cannot be neglected. This vessel was made in the Spring and Autumn Period which witnessed the most active ideology in ancient China and the climax of bronze modeling and casting techniques.

　　This vessel was excavated in pair, one in Beijing Palace Museum and one in Henan Museum. The entire vessel is large and beautifully designed. It may often be placed in the temple for exhibition, as a symbol of owner’s status, wealth and strength. The vessel has an elongated neck, a descending body and a ring foot. Beneath the ring foot are two monsters, with protruding tongues and their heads turned to the side, bearing the vessel upon their backs. The body is covered with pan long (coiled dragon) designs, with small creatures climbing up each of the corners. The neck features dragon-shaped handles on two sides, giving the work a sense of gravitas and mystery. The lid is decorated with two layers of opening lotus petals, with a crane in the center. Guo Moruo once highly praised it as “a symbol of the spirit of the time”.　

03

　　Name: Wu Zetian Gold Strip of Absolution

　　Period: Tang Dynasty (700 A.D.)

　　Size: Length 36.2 cm, Width 8 cm, Thickness

　　0.1 cm; Weight 223.5 g

　　Time of Evacuation: 1982

　　Place of Evacuation: north face of the peak of

　　Mount Song, Dengfeng

　　Wu Zetian is the only recognized Empress in China. During her more than 40 years of ruling, she spent most of time in dealing with government affairs in Luoyang. Therefore, most of her remains were discovered in Central Plains. Wu Zetian went to Songshan Mountain many times for offering sacrifices to heaven and traveling. Today’s Dengfeng Altar, Sanyang Palace and Shicong Huiyin are left behind from that time. This gold strip is made of 96% pure gold and weighs 223.5g. There is an inscription in 63 double-outlined characters on the piece, which conveys the following: “Empress Wu Zhao of the Great Zhou (the title Great Sagely Empress Wu Zetian was adopted after she abdicated) in her piety and faith to the true principles of Daoism, is desirous of longevity without aging and to ascend to the state of immortality. Thus she has entrusted a great man to come to the Heavenly Gate upon Mount Song, to deliver this gold strip, entreating the Three Offices and Nine Bureaus to absolve her of any wrong doing. Submitted on the 7th day of the 7th month of the Lunar calendar, in the year AD 700.”

　　Wu Zetian made remarkable contributions to the prosperity and development of Tang Dynasty, but only a few of her objects passed down, including this gold strip. It is the only gold strip used by emperors that we have found. As a rare example of a mobile and visible relic of the empress, it enhances our knowledge and research on the course of Empress Wu’s life, and the development of her ideological direction in later life, an invaluable piece of material evidence.

　　Pictures and texts are all provided by Henan Museum.

　　Managing Editor：Xiong Vivi

　　New Media Editor：Xu Tingting