Da Yu ding

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Da Yu ding
大盂鼎
The Da Yu ding is exhibited in the National Museum of China.
MaterialBronze
Height101.9 cm (40.1 in)
Width77.8 cm (30.6 in)
Weight153.5 kg (338 lb)
Createdearly 10th century BC
Discovered1849
Li Village, Jingdang Township, Qishan County, Shaanxi
Present locationNational Museum of China

The Da Yu ding (Chinese: 大盂鼎; pinyin: Dà Yú dǐng) is an ancient Chinese bronze circular ding vessel from the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC).[1] Excavated in Li Village, Jingdang Township, Qishan County, Shaanxi, it is on display in the National Museum of China.[2]

The Da Yu ding, the Da Ke ding in the Shanghai Museum, and the Mao Gong ding in the National Palace Museum in Taipei are often mentioned together as a few of the most important pieces of ancient Chinese bronze vessels, and sometimes collectively called "Three Treasures of China" (Chinese: "（青铜器）海内三宝").

Description[edit]

The tripod is round, with three legs, a common shape during the Western Zhou dynasty. It is 101.9 centimetres (40.1 in) high and weighs 153.5 kilograms (338 lb). Its aperture is 77.8 centimetres (30.6 in). Its mouth is engraved with Taotie patterns and its four legs are engraved with animal face patterns. The king attributed to is King Kang of Zhou (1020–996 BC), and the date is attributed to the 23rd Year of the king, the Western Zhou dynasty (1046–771 BC) [3]

Inscription[edit]

The tripod's inside features 19 lines collectively containing 291 Chinese characters.[4] Most is the King's Speech. The first speech is a historical overview in which he provides a moral rationale for the fall of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC) and the rise of the Western Zhou. Here, the King said that drinking wine in excess has made the Shang dynasty lose the Mandate of Heaven, grace, and the army, while the Kings of Zhou do not drink excessively even ceremonially. The King further commands Yu (盂) to support the King and to work official service throughout days. The second speech is a short charge to Yu to emulate his late grandfather, Nang Gong. The third speech is the appointment of the king's minister with army power and a detailed inventory given by the King. The last section of the inscription is Yu himself recording that he made this tripod for his deceased grandfather Nang Gong in response to the king's kindness. It was the king's 23rd year.[5][6] The inclusion of 1726 slaves in the listed inventory is an important historical resource for studying slavery.

Da Yu ding inscription
Name Artifact Inscription Translation
Da Yu ding

大盂鼎
981 BCE
(King Kang)[7]
It was in the ninth month when the King was at Zongzhou (宗周). The King charged Yu (盂) saying, “Yu! Shining King Wen (文王) received the great mandate from Heaven. When King Wu (武王) succeeded Wen, he created a state, opening hidden lands, possessing all the four quarters, and setting right their peoples. In ceremonial affairs involving wine, oh! – he permitted no excess; at sacrificial rites, he permitted no drunkenness. Hence Heaven in its greatness watched closely over its sons and protected the former Kings in their possession of the four quarters. I have heard that the Yin (殷) loss of the mandate was due to the fact that its greater and lesser lords and the many officials assisting the Yin sank into drunkenness and so were bereft of their city. “You have helped me from the hazy dawn of my youth: When I was engaged in my youthful studies, you never coerced me but always helped me. Now I am attempting to emulate and grasp the upright virtue of King Wen, and charge the many officials as he did. Now I charge you to assist Rong in attending to the constancy of harmonious virtue: be assiduous in remonstrating with me from dawn to dusk serving in awe of Heaven’s awesomeness.” The King said, “Oh! I charge you Yu to emulate your late grandfather Nan Gong (南公), whom you succeed.” The King said, “Yu, assist me by overseeing until death the affairs of war. Assiduously remonstrate and upbraid me. From dawn to dusk help me to govern the four quarters and follow the former Kings in receiving charge of the people and the lands. “I give to you a flask of sacrificial liquors, ceremonial cap, robes, kneepads, and sandals, and a chariot with horse. I present to you the banner of your late grandfather Nan Gong for you to lead in hunting. I give to you four estate officials and 659 servant from charioteers to common peasants. I give you thirteen officials of the rank of King’s officers to guard your borders, and along with them 1,050 servants (人鬲). Move them promptly from their current lands.” The King said, “Yu! Be attentive to your government and do not disobey my charge.” In gratitude for the favors of the King, Yu casts this precious cauldron for his late grandfather Nan Gong. It was in the King’s twenty-third sacrificial year.
[8][9]

History[edit]

Zuo Zongtang (1812–1885), the fifth owner of the Da Yu ding
Pan Zuyin (1830–1890), the sixth owner of the Da Yu ding

In the Daoguang era (1821–1851) of the Qing dynasty (1644–1911), this tripod was unearthed in Li village, Jingdang Township, Qishan County, Shaanxi. Song Jinjian (宋金鑒; 1821–1863), a local rich man, acquired it. Next, the governor Zhou Gengsheng (周庚盛) expropriated it. After he died, Song Jinjian recovered the tripod.[10]

Before winter 1873, Yuan Baoheng (袁保恆; 1826–1878), a follower of Zuo Zongtang bought it for 700 taels of silver.[11] Yuan may have sent the tripod he bought to Zuo. In 1875,[12] Zuo Zongtang presented the tripod he treasured as a gift to Pan Zuyin (潘祖蔭; 1830–1890) in Beijing.[3] Pan Zuyin was a famous collector with rich knowledge in Chinese characters. In 1890, Pan acquired the Da Ke ding, the second largest bronzeware of the Western Zhou dynasty after the Da Yu ding. His younger brother Pan Zunian (潘祖年; 1870–1925) inherited the family property. In about 1896, the Pan family moved to Suzhou from Beijing with their collection, including the two tripods.

In 1937, the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out. Fearing looting or destruction, the Pan family packed the two tripods in a wood box and buried it.

In 1951, Pan Dayu (潘達于; 1906–2007) donated the two tripods to the Shanghai Museum.[13] There, they would be displayed together until 1959, when the Da Yu ding was transferred to the National Museum of China in Beijing.[3] In March 2004, to celebrate Pan Dayu's 100 birthday, the Da Yu ding was transferred to the Shanghai Museum for a limited time display, the first time the tripods were together in nearly 50 years.[14][15]

See also[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Qiu Xigui (2000), p. 68.
  2. ^ Li Song (2015), p. 30.
  3. ^ a b c Shanghai Museum 1959
  4. ^ Da yu Ding Chinese Rubbing Collection Harvard University, USA WEBsite
  5. ^ Jeffrey R. Thersen 2015 103-127p
  6. ^ Robert Eno, Indiana University Document
  7. ^ Minford, John (2009). "The Triumph: A Heritage of Sorts". CHINA HERITAGE QUARTERLY China Heritage Project, China Heritage Quarterly. The Australian National University. 19.
  8. ^ "In the twenty-third year of his reign (981 BCE), King Kang of Zhou 周康王 appointed a man named Yu 盂, the grandson of one Nangong Kuo 南宮括, one of the high ministers mentioned by the Duke of Zhou as serving both Kings Wen and Wu, to act as an overseer of the Supervisors of the Military [sirong 司戎]." in Edward Shaughnessy, in Loewe and Shaughnessy, eds., Cambridge History of Ancient China, 1999, p.320ff, in Minford, John (2009). "The Triumph: A Heritage of Sorts". CHINA HERITAGE QUARTERLY China Heritage Project, China Heritage Quarterly. The Australian National University. 19.
  9. ^ Eno, Robert (2012). "INSCRIPTIONAL RECORDS OF THE WESTERN ZHOU" (PDF): 23–24. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. ^ record in Shaanxi Epigraphy(陝西金石志, 1934) in Shanghai Museum 1959. Another record showed the owner another Ko family. there is controversy
  11. ^ Wu Dacheng(1835-1902) appreciated and recorded the tripod in Yuan's estate in Shaanxi in 1873 winter.
  12. ^ On the letter at 1875 March (Guangxu Emperor era 1st year January(Chinese calendar) 11th) from Chen Jieqi(1813-1884) to Pan Zuyin
  13. ^ Pan Dayu wrote a short letter, intending to donate the two tripods to Shanghai Museum. A few months later, Liu Ruli (劉汝醴) and Shen Gengmei (沈羹梅) went to Suzhou accompanied by Pan Jiahua (潘家華), daughter of Pan Dayu, to take the tripods. Mao Dun (1896–1981), the Minister of Culture, personally inscribed an honorary credential for her.
  14. ^ 大克鼎和大盂鼎：半世纪后再聚首 [Da Yu ding and Da Ke ding: reunited after half a century]. sina (in Chinese). 2004-03-02.
  15. ^ 国宝级文物大盂鼎大克鼎五十年后上海相聚 [National treasures the Da Yu ding and Da Ke ding are reunited half a century later in Shanghai]. Tencent (in Chinese). 2004-02-09.

References[edit]

  • Qiu Xigui (2000). Chinese Writing. Vol. Early China Special Monograph Series No. 4. Translated by Gilbert Mattos; Jerry Norman. Berkeley: The Society for the Study of Early China and the Institute of East Asian Studies, University of California, Berkeley. ISBN 1-55729-071-7.
  • Li Song (2015). Chinese Bronze Ware: A Mirror of Culture. Beijing: China Intercontinental Press. ISBN 9787508533766.
  • Shanghai Museum, YU DING KE DING. ('Yu' Vessels and 'Ke' Vessels) (Chinese Text). Shanghai, 1959.
  • Da yu Ding Chinese Rubbing Collection Harvard University, USA
  • Robert Eno, Inscriptional Records of the Western Zou, 2012 23-24p, Indiana University SITE, Bloomington, USA
  • Jeffrey R. Thersen, CHINESE EUPHONICS :PHONETIC PATTERNS, PHONORHETORIC AND LITERARY ARTISTRY IN EARLY CHINESE NARRATIVE TEXTS, Ph. D Dissertation in Department of East Asian Department, University of Chicago, 2015, Dec, Chicago, Illinois, USA
  • Christian Deydier (2016). 《读懂中国青铜器：文化、形式、功能与图案》 [Understanding Ancient Chinese Bronzes: Their Importance in Chinese Culture, Their Shapes, Functions and Motifs] (in English and Chinese). Beijing: Yilin Press. ISBN 9787544752114.
  • 《中国青铜器全集：西周》 [Complete Works of Chinese Bronze Wares: Western Zhou Dynasty] (in Chinese). Beijing: Cultural Relics Publishing House. 2005. ISBN 9787501008971.
  • Jin Weinuo (2010). 《中国美术全集：青铜器》 [Complete Works of Chinese Art: Bronze Ware] (in Chinese). Anhui: Huangshan Publishing House. ISBN 9787546113722.
  • Liu Wei; Duan Guoqiang; Peng Shifan (2016). 《中国艺术史图典·青铜器卷》 [History of Chinese Art: Bronze Ware] (in Chinese). Shanghai: Shanghai Lexicographical Publishing House. ISBN 9787532647958.

External links[edit]

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