This is a three legged wine vessel (jue type) unearthed in Erlitou, Henan Province, People's Republic of China (PRC). It is 10 and 1/8 inches tall, and dates from the early 2nd millenium B.C. Some archaeologists, such as K.C. Chang of Harvard, suspect that the Erlitou culture will prove to be identical with the semi-legendary Xia Dynasty. Stylistically, this wine vessel is similar to those found in the later Shang Dynasty sites, demonstrating some degree of cultural continuity.
This wine vessel (zun type, 15 and 1/4 inches high) dates from the early years of the Zhou Dynasty, in the 11th century B.C. It was unearthed in Shaanxi Province, PRC. This vessel is especially interesting because it contains a fairly long inscription:
When the king first moved his residence to Cheng Zhou [i.e., Luoyang], he resumed the practice of King Wu and performed rituals seeking blessings from Heaven. In the fourth month, on the day bingxu, the king made an address to the junior princes of royal ancestry in the principium hall, speaking as follows: "In past times, when your late fathers, the heads of your noble families, were alive, they ably came to the support of King Wen; and so King Wen received this great [commission, to rule the world]. When King Wu had conquered the Great City Shang, then in the court he made an announcement to Heaven, saying 'I will reside in the middle country, and from this place govern the people.' Oh, even though you are only junior princes, surely we can expect that you will emulate [your] princely [fathers] in the noble status they earned in Heaven's regard, attending dutifully to Heaven's bidding and caring reverently for the sacrifices! Help [me] the king to uphold [my] virtue, so that Heaven will make me compliant when I am not earnest." The king concluded his lecture. I was given thirty strings of cowrie shells, and with this I made for the Duke this precious zun vessel -- this being the king's fifth cult year. [Translation modified from David S. Nivison, "'Virtue' in Bone and Bronze," in The Ways of Confucianism: Investigations in Chinese Philosophy.]
This wine vessel (9 and 7/8 inches tall) dates from the early Zhou dynasty. It was unearthed in Shaanxi Province, PRC.This vessel is of the gu type. Confucius was disturbed by the violation of the traditions and rituals of the Zhou Dynasty, and once complained when someone substituted another type of wine vessel in a ritual calling for this type: "A gu that is not a gu. Some gu!" (Analects 6:25)
All photographs taken from Treasures from the Bronze Age of China (New York: Ballantine Books, 1980).