Chinese bronze vessels were the result of a coordinated effort of several specialists, each of whom was responsible for a standardized part of the process. For example, some workers prepared the bronze, while others carved the molds.
Rounded, three-legged bronze containers decorated with abstract and animal designs are called ding in Chinese. This unusually large example is elaborately decorated with a repeating design of stylized dragons and finely carved scroll patterns. Horned monster heads adorn the knees of the stout legs. Two large loop handles rise from below the rim. The three loops on top also serve as feet when the cover is removed, inverted, and used as a dish. After being buried, the vessel has acquired a rich patina of cuprite red and malachite green. This ding is decorated in the Liyu style, which was named after the archaeological site in Northern Shansi province where this distinctive form of bronze vessel was discovered in 1923.
The Chinese cast their bronzes in m olds constructed from several pieces of c lay. After placing a core into this negative mantle, they poured bronze into the space between the mantle and the core. This method of bronze casting was possible only because the bronze-makers could avail themselves of a highly developed ceramic technology. For making molds, they favored fine-grained, low-lime, and low-clay loess (a buff or yellow-brown loamy deposit) because of its high porosity and its dimensional stability in drying and firing. Seams still visible on the body of the ding show that it was cast in a three-section mold. The legs and handles were cast in two-section molds, then inserted into apertures cut into the body molds. These appendages were permanently attached to the vessel when the molten bronze was poured into the mold.
The pre-cast legs represent an advance over earlier foundry methods, which usually cast legs in the same pour as the vessel. Because bronze was an expensive material, ding were symbols of prestige. They were originally used in ancestor-worship ceremonies to hold ritual sacrifices of meat. During the period when this example was made, ding were also used at home and at war. Historical texts record that the emperor used nine ding in his sacrifices, while the upper classes used only three.
The purpose of the ceremonial family banquets was to ensure the goodwill of the ancestors and to invoke their aid in the struggle to survive in this world. Such rituals were performed in special ancestor halls. The inclusion of ritual vessels in tombs indicates that the owner of the tomb was expected to continue making offerings to his ancestors after his death.
