Among the ancient Chinese bronzes, the Jin Hou Bird Statue is undoubtedly a precious work of art and a witness to history. This heavy vessel comes from the early Jin Marquis cemetery in the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and shows the treasures of Jin culture with its unique shape and exquisite craftsmanship.
1. Historical background.
The excavation site of the Jin Hou Bird Zun is the No. 114 tomb of the Jin Marquis Cemetery in Beizhao Village, Qucun Town, Quwo County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province. According to the research of archaeologists, the tomb belongs to the early Jin aristocratic tombs in the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty. During this period, the Jin kingdom developed greatly politically, economically, and culturally, and became an important supporter of the Zhou royal family and one of the feudal states. As an important cultural relic of this period, the Jin Hou Bird Zun reveals to us the social life, etiquette system and artistic level of the Jin Kingdom at that time.
Second, the characteristics of the instrument.
The overall shape of the Jin Hou Bird is the shape of a phoenix bird standing and looking back, with a height of 39 cm and a length of 305 cm, width 175 cm. The phoenix's tail bends down into an elephant's head, forming a three-point support with its legs. There is an inscription on the lid and the bottom of the abdomen, "The Marquis of Jin made the treasure of the Tai Room Zun Yi", indicating that the vessel is a ritual vessel for the sacrifice of the Temple of the Marquis of Jin. In addition, the inscription also mentions "Xiang Tai Room", Xiang Tai Room is the temple where Zhou Tianzi sacrificed his ancestors, indicating that the Marquis of Jin used this bird to present gifts to the Tai Room during the sacrifice.
In terms of instrument design, the Jinhou Bird Zun skillfully integrates the two animal elements of birds and elephants. The body of the bird is the main body of the respect, with its head held upright, its wings converging, and its tail feathers drooping, forming a stable triangular support structure. The elephant's head is the base of the bird, and the trunk is rolled up and connected with the bird's body to form a support column, making the whole artifact more stable. This kind of design technique of fusing different animal elements is rare in ancient bronzes, and reflects the exquisite skill and innovation ability of artists in the Western Zhou Dynasty.
In addition, the craftsmanship of the Jin Hou Bird Zun is also very exquisite. The whole utensil is made of casting technology, and the body is covered with complex ornaments, such as feathers, cloud thunder, dragons, etc., and each line is very smooth and vivid. In terms of casting technology, the Jinhou Bird Zun adopted the split-casting welding method, casting the bird body and the elephant head separately, and then connecting them together through welding technology, showing the exquisite skills of the ancient craftsmen.
3. Research value.
The research value of Jinhou Bird Zun is mainly reflected in the following aspects:
Historical research value: As an early cultural relic in the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Jin Hou Bird Zun provides us with important material materials for studying the history of the Jin Kingdom. Through the study of this artifact, we can understand the political, economic, and cultural conditions of the Jin Kingdom at that time, which is of great significance for understanding the social development of the Western Zhou Dynasty.
Artistic research value: The Jinhou Bird Statue shows the pinnacle of ancient Chinese bronze art with its unique shape and exquisite craftsmanship. The design concept, production technology and decoration techniques of the vessel have provided valuable reference and inspiration for the development of art in later generations.
Cultural research value: The Jin Hou Bird Zun reflects the cultural traditions and etiquette system of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Through the study of this artifact, we can gain an in-depth understanding of the cultural concepts, etiquette norms and social Xi of the time, which provides an important reference for understanding the development and evolution of traditional Chinese culture.
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