Shuyan Pei, Weina Zhang

Shuyan Pei

April 28, 2024

Time period theory, Xi'an, Bronze ware, Ornamentation.

During the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, bronze ware, as a ceremonial tool, often appeared in religious ceremonies, court banquets, weddings, funerals, and other occasions, symbolizing the political power of the country. The evolution of the decorative style of bronze ritual vessels reflects the social and cultural characteristics of different periods. Represented by Xi'an, bronze ritual vessels have evolved in accordance with the laws of Baoji, Zhengzhou, and other places belonging to the Yellow River Basin over hundreds of years, indicating the important role of long-term factors in historical development. The evolution of composite images represented by "dragon" in bronze ritual vessels unearthed in Xi'an region has two meanings: firstly, during the Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties, the variation and combination of dragon patterns in the "Classic of Mountains and Seas" and bronze artifacts reflect the fusion and reconstruction of various ecological environment animals such as beasts, birds, and fish by the ancestors, which is a historical reflection of social unrest and restructuring. Secondly, the dragon pattern in bronze ritual vessels unearthed in Xi'an gradually evolved from terrifying animal forms to abstract geometric elements such as string patterns, vertical squama patterns, and tile ridges in the middle and late Western Zhou Dynasty. This is consistent with the evolution law of bronze ware ornamentation in Baoji, Zhengzhou, Anyang and other places during the same period, reflecting the influence of geological environment as a long-term factor on the evolution of bronze ritual vessel ornamentation.

© 2024, the Authors. Published by ISCCAC

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