Understanding Bronze Vessels: Types and Terminology

Understanding Bronze Vessels: Types and Terminology
認識青銅器的種類和名稱

I. Food Vessels (食器)

一、食器

① Dǐng (鼎)
Cooking and serving vessel. The earliest bronze dǐng was unearthed from the Late Xia Dynasty Erlitou site. Remained popular throughout the Bronze Age.
① 鼎：煮食器或盛食器。目前發現最早的青銅鼎出土於夏晚期的二里頭遺址，青銅鼎流行於整個青銅器時期。

② Guǐ (簋)
Food container for cooked rice, equivalent to modern bowls. Often used with dǐng. Popular from Shang to Eastern Zhou dynasties.
② 簋：盛食器，用來盛放煮熟的飯食，相當於現在的碗，多與鼎搭配使用。簋流行的時間也很長，從商到東周。

③ Lì (鬲)
Cooking and serving vessel for meat and porridge. Popular from Shang to Eastern Zhou periods.
③ 鬲：煮食器與盛食器，用來烹煮肉食（據說還用來煮粥）。流行於商代至東周時期。

④ Yǎn (甗)
Steamer vessel, equivalent to modern steamers. Consists of upper part (zèng) for food and lower part (lì) for water, separated by a perforated bronze plate. Used from Early Shang, essential in most burial sets during Zhou.
④ 甗：蒸炊器，相當於現在的蒸鍋，全器分上、下兩部分，上部為甑置食物；下部為鬲置水。甑與鬲之間有一銅片叫做箄，上有通蒸氣的十字孔或直線孔。青銅甗在商代早期已經開始使用，到了兩周之際，甗是絕大多數殉葬銅器的墓中必有之器。

⑤ Xǔ (盨)
Food container where both vessel and lid could serve as bowls. Appeared in Mid-Western Zhou, disappeared by Early Spring and Autumn period.
⑤ 盨：盛食器，跟簋一樣也是飯碗，器蓋兩部分均可作為容器使用。大致出現於西周中期，到了春秋初期就基本消失了。

⑥ Duì (敦)
Specialized container for millet. Produced from Mid-Spring and Autumn period until after Qin Dynasty. Characterized by spherical form with symmetrical lid and body.
⑥ 敦：盛食器，又敦產生於春秋中期，大致在秦代以後消失。敦的基本形制就是上下內外皆圓，器與蓋合成球體或者扁球體，一般上下對稱。

⑦ Fǔ (簠)
Rectangular food container with identical lid and body that form a complete unit when joined. Popular from Late Western Zhou to Late Warring States.
⑦ 簠：盛食器。流行於西周晚期至戰國晚期。簠的形制要點是長方形大口，器與蓋形狀相同，大小一致，上下對稱，合起來成為一體，分開則成為兩個器皿。

⑧ Dòu (豆)
Container for pickles and sauces. The thickness and length of the stem show distinct period and regional characteristics.
⑧ 豆：盛食器，用來盛放腌菜、醬料等調味品，相當於現在的菜碗。值得一提的是，豆柄的粗細長短帶有明顯的時代和地域特徵。

II. Wine Vessels (酒器)

二、酒器

① Jué (爵)
Drinking vessel, equivalent to modern wine cups. First appeared in Erlitou culture, earliest known wine vessel. Disappeared after Mid-Western Zhou.
① 爵：飲酒器，大致相當於現在的酒杯。銅爵最早出現於二里頭文化，是目前所知最早出現的酒器，西周中期後基本消失。

② Jiǎo (角)
Drinking vessel similar to jué but without columns. Mostly Shang Dynasty, latest to Early Western Zhou.
② 角：飲酒器。時代大多都屬商代，最晚不晚於西周早期。角的形制與爵相似，大小也相仿。

③ Jiǎ (斝)
Wine warming vessel also used in rituals for libation ceremonies. Appeared in Erlitou culture, popular Shang to Early Western Zhou.
③ 斝：溫酒器，也用於祭祀，專門用於行祼禮。它始見於二里頭文化時期，流行於商至西周早期，然後逐漸消失不見。

④ Léi (罍)
Wine storage vessel. Popular Late Shang to Mid-Spring and Autumn. Described in Book of Songs. Comes in square (wide shoulders, two handles) and round (large belly, ring foot) forms.
④ 罍：盛酒器。流行於商晚期至春秋中期。《詩經·周南·卷耳》記：「我姑酌彼金罍，維以不永懷。」有方形和圓形兩種形式。

⑤ Yǒu (卣)
Specialized container for aromatic ritual wine. Named since Song Dynasty. Characterized by contracted mouth, large belly, swing handle, and cover.
⑤ 卣：盛酒器，專門用來盛祭祀時用的一種香酒秬鬯。現在將一種具體器類定名為卣的說法始於宋代。基本形制是斂口，碩腹，頸部兩側有提梁，上有蓋，蓋上有鈕，下有圈足。

⑥ Gū (觚)
Drinking vessel with long tubular body, flared mouth, and sloping ring foot. Popular Early Shang to Early Western Zhou.
⑥ 觚：飲酒器。最早見於商代早期，流行至西周早期漸漸衰落，西周中期以後基本不見。觚的形制特徵是長筒狀身，大喇叭口，斜坡狀高圈足。

⑦ Gōng (觥)
Wine vessel with animal-shaped cover or complete zoomorphic form. Distinguished from zūn by having a spout.
⑦ 觥：盛酒器。器蓋均作獸首狀，或者全器做成動物狀。然而兩者最大的不同是觥有流，而尊沒有。

⑧ Hú (壶)
Wine storage vessel mentioned in Book of Songs. Used from Shang to Han and beyond. Complex formal variations. (Tip: Vessel-covering-lid usually hú, lid-covering-vessel usually yǒu)
⑧ 壶：盛酒器。《詩·大雅·韓奕》記「清酒百壺。」銅壺的使用時間從商代到漢代甚至更晚，因而變化的形式也相當複雜。

⑨ Zhì (觯)
Drinking vessel in two types: flat-body (oval cross-section) and round-body. Both existed Late Shang to Early Western Zhou, round type continued to Eastern Zhou.
⑨ 觯：飲酒器。青銅器中習稱為觯的有兩類，一類是扁體（橫截面為橢圓形），一類是圓體，這兩類在商代晚期和西周早期都有，圓體觯一直沿用到東周。

⑩ Zūn (尊)
Wine storage vessel with flared mouth, bulging abdomen, and high ring foot. Popular Late Shang to Mid-Western Zhou.
⑩ 尊：盛酒器。現通稱為尊的青銅器的基本形制為侈口，腹部粗而鼓張，高圈足，形體較寬。流行於商代前期偏晚至西周中期。

⑪ Fāngyí (方彝)
Rectangular wine vessel. “Yí” originally referred to all ritual bronzes, but this square form acquired its conventional name. Popular Mid-Shang to Early Western Zhou. Interestingly, lid decorations often appear inverted, possibly related to ritual placement.
⑪ 方彝：盛酒器。「彝」是所有青銅禮器的共名，但這種方形酒器一直未發現器名，所以學者們約定俗成將其稱為「方彝」。方彝流行於商代中期至西周早期。

⑫ Sháo (勺)
Wine ladle with short cylindrical body and handle.
⑫ 勺：取酒器。一般作短圓筒形，旁有柄。

III. Water Vessels (水器)

三、水器

① Yí (匜)
Water pouring vessel for hand-washing rituals. Used with pan. Often found together in tombs. Appeared Late Western Zhou, popular to Warring States.
① 匜：是古代行沃盥禮時澆水的用具。《左傳》記「奉匜沃盥」，即用匜盛水從上而下澆手，下邊有盤盛接洗過的水。所以在墓葬中匜常與盤同出。

② Pán (盘)
Water receiving basin for ritual hand-washing, used with yí. However, bronze pans appeared Early Shang, so combination use began at earliest Late Western Zhou.
② 盘：是古代行沃盥禮時承水的用具，與匜配套。考古發掘時出土的匜往往放置在盤中。不過銅盤在商代早期就已經出現。

③ Hé (盉)
Vessel for blending and diluting wine. Appeared Early Shang, peaked Late Shang and Western Zhou, continued to Spring and Autumn and Warring States.
③ 盉：是用水來調和酒味濃淡的器具。銅盉出現在商代早期，盛行於商晚期和西周，流行到春秋戰國。

④ Jiàn (鉴)
Water basin that could also serve as bathtub or ice container (e.g., Marquis Yi of Zeng’s ice jiàn). Appeared Mid-Spring and Autumn, most popular Late Spring and Autumn to Warring States, still cast in Western Han.
④ 鉴：盛水器，從文獻來看，特大型的鑒還可以用作浴盆。除了水盆以外，鑒還可以當做冰箱來使用，如曾侯乙冰鑒。銅鑒出現於春秋中期，在春秋晚期和戰國時期最為流行，西漢時仍有鑄造。

IV. Musical Instruments (樂器)

四、樂器

① Zhōng (钟)
Percussion instrument for temple rituals, banquets, and military use. Popular throughout Zhou Dynasty. Often used in graduated sets called biānzhōng (编钟).
① 钟：打擊樂器，既可作為宗廟祭祀與宗族宴享時的樂器，又可以作為軍中樂器。流行於兩周。西周時代的鐘多是成套的，這種就叫做編鐘。

② Náo (铙)
Percussion instrument for military commands. Popular Late Shang to Early Western Zhou. Held handle-upward and struck with wooden stick.
② 铙：打擊樂器，用於軍隊中傳播號令。流行於商代晚期和西周早期。使用時手握柄，口向上，另外一隻手執木棒敲擊。

③ Chúnyú (錞于)
Percussion instrument first appearing Spring and Autumn period, popular Warring States to Eastern Han. Used with drums for battlefield commands and rituals.
③ 錞于：打擊樂器。最早出現於春秋時期，流行於戰國至東漢。錞于常與鼓配合，用於戰爭中指揮進退。

V. Weapons (兵器)

五、兵器

① Yuè (钺)
Chopping weapon. Popular Shang to Western Zhou. Small versions were functional weapons; large versions symbolized political and military authority.
① 钺：用以劈砍的兵器。主要流行於商至西周時期。小型鉞一般為實用兵器，而大型鉞往往作為高等級貴族政治、軍事權利的象徵。

② Gē (戈)
Hook-weapon for slashing. Appeared in Erlitou culture, continued past Warring States period.
② 戈：用於鉤殺的兵器。在青銅兵器中，戈是出現比較早的，在二里頭文化時期就已經出現，一直延續使用至戰國以後。

③ Máo (矛)
Thrusting weapon. Appeared Early Shang, continued past Warring States. Consists of bronze head, wooden shaft, and end fixture.
③ 矛：用於衝刺的兵器。最早出現於商代早期，一直使用到戰國以後。矛的整體包括三部分：銅矛頭、矛柲與柲下端安的銅鐓。

④ Jǐ (戟)
Combined weapon featuring gē hook-blade and máo spear-point, forming cross-shaped weapon with multiple offensive capabilities.
④ 戟：兵器，實際上是戈和矛的合成體，它既有直刃又有橫刃，呈「十」字或「卜」字形，因此戟具有鉤、啄、刺、割等多種用途。

⑤ Zú (镞)
Arrowhead with sharp point, spread wings, spine, and tang. Appeared in Erlitou culture with strong regional variations.
⑤ 镞：安裝在箭桿前端的鋒刃部分，形體一般由尖峰和張開的翼以及脊和鋌組成。銅鐃在二里頭文化時期就已經出現，有較強的地域風格。

Understanding Bronze Vessels: Types and Terminology