Lot Essay
A fair number of such ding exist, but few of such large size and fine condition combined. The example which bears closest comparison is the well-known ding from the Idemitsu Museum of Arts, Tokyo, from Luoyang, Henan province. See Ryuji Hirano (ed.), Kotoken Senka, Osaka, 1988, pp. 22-23, pl. 2; Henry Trubner, Tsugio Mikami and William J. Rathbun, Treasures Of Asian Art From The Idemitsu Collection, Seattle, 1981, pp.38-39, pl. 5; and Ancient Chinese Arts in The Idemitsu Collection, Japan, 1989, pl. 1
In shape and size they are extremely similar and the bands of decoration are also stylistically similar, though the main band of relief decoration on the Idemitsu and most published examples is cast with taotie of equal width, whilst the present example and another from the Shanghai Museum seem to be quite rare in that the taotie are arranged in a short and wide configuration. See the shorter taotie, truly a mask, the longer taotie formed by dragons confronted on a flange, illustrated by René-Yvon Lefebvre d'Argencé (ed.), Treasures From The Shanghai Museum, 6,000 Years Of Chinese Art, Catalogue, San Francisco, 1983, col. pl. X.
For other examples, see Li Xueqin (ed.), Zhongguo Meishu Quanji, Gongyi Meishu, Qingtongqi (The Great Treasury Of Chinese Fine Arts, Arts And Crafts, 4, Bronzes [1]), Beijing, 1987, pps. 20, 52 and 139, nos. 53, 148 and 149; Wen C. Fong and James C.Y. Watt, Possessing the Past, Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, New York & Taipei, 1996, Catalogue, p. 74, pl. 37; and Ma Chengyuan, Ancient Chinese Bronzes, Oxford, 1986, pp. 118-119, pl. 40 for the great Yu ding, unearthed at Li village, Mei county, Shaanxi province, apparently the largest bronze ding of the Western Zhou period so far unearthed. It is cast with 291 characters on the inside wall and records King Kang's instructions to the high-ranking nobleman Yu and the King's bestowal of wealth on him
See, also, Zhao Gushan, Imperial Tombs of China, Memphis, Tennessee, 1995, Catalogue, p. 36, for a houding, illustrated with a pair of hooks (for suspension) and a spoon, found alongside the vessel, (a piece of ox bone was found inside the vessel, and the underside preserved traces of fire), indicating how such sacrificial vessels might have been used. According to Zheng Xuan's (A.D. 127-200) commentary on the Book of Ritual (Liji), a Confucian classic presenting proper ritual ceremonies of Zhou dynasty China, "The hou is a vessel used to boil meat, fish, and dried meat", used by the nobility to cook meat during sacrifices and at banquets
In shape and size they are extremely similar and the bands of decoration are also stylistically similar, though the main band of relief decoration on the Idemitsu and most published examples is cast with taotie of equal width, whilst the present example and another from the Shanghai Museum seem to be quite rare in that the taotie are arranged in a short and wide configuration. See the shorter taotie, truly a mask, the longer taotie formed by dragons confronted on a flange, illustrated by René-Yvon Lefebvre d'Argencé (ed.), Treasures From The Shanghai Museum, 6,000 Years Of Chinese Art, Catalogue, San Francisco, 1983, col. pl. X.
For other examples, see Li Xueqin (ed.), Zhongguo Meishu Quanji, Gongyi Meishu, Qingtongqi (The Great Treasury Of Chinese Fine Arts, Arts And Crafts, 4, Bronzes [1]), Beijing, 1987, pps. 20, 52 and 139, nos. 53, 148 and 149; Wen C. Fong and James C.Y. Watt, Possessing the Past, Treasures from the National Palace Museum, Taipei, New York & Taipei, 1996, Catalogue, p. 74, pl. 37; and Ma Chengyuan, Ancient Chinese Bronzes, Oxford, 1986, pp. 118-119, pl. 40 for the great Yu ding, unearthed at Li village, Mei county, Shaanxi province, apparently the largest bronze ding of the Western Zhou period so far unearthed. It is cast with 291 characters on the inside wall and records King Kang's instructions to the high-ranking nobleman Yu and the King's bestowal of wealth on him
See, also, Zhao Gushan, Imperial Tombs of China, Memphis, Tennessee, 1995, Catalogue, p. 36, for a houding, illustrated with a pair of hooks (for suspension) and a spoon, found alongside the vessel, (a piece of ox bone was found inside the vessel, and the underside preserved traces of fire), indicating how such sacrificial vessels might have been used. According to Zheng Xuan's (A.D. 127-200) commentary on the Book of Ritual (Liji), a Confucian classic presenting proper ritual ceremonies of Zhou dynasty China, "The hou is a vessel used to boil meat, fish, and dried meat", used by the nobility to cook meat during sacrifices and at banquets