Lijiashan Bronze Museum
Lijiashan Bronze Museum is in Dajie Township of Jiangchuan County.
It houses most of the unearthed relics from Lijiashan, including
weapons, musical instruments, ceremony devices, production tools,
weaving tools, living utensils, ornaments, horse decorations, and
other articles. The materials are of copper, iron, gold, silver,
jade, stone, wood, and lacquer, most of which are bronze. Lijiashan
Bronze Relics Museum started construction in January 1993 and was
completed in October 1994. It is the first bronze museum at county
level in China. It covers an area of 2,343 square meters.
From January to May in 1972, an
archaeological team made up of Yunnan
Provincial Museum and Jiangchuan Cultural Center made a 60-day
excavation and unearthed 27 tombs in total. The No. 21 tomb was
revealed to be about 2,500 years old by radiocarbon assessment.
About 1,300 burial articles were excavated including the famous
Bull-Tiger Bronze Table.
Provincial Museum and Jiangchuan Cultural Center made a 60-day
excavation and unearthed 27 tombs in total. The No. 21 tomb was
revealed to be about 2,500 years old by radiocarbon assessment.
About 1,300 burial articles were excavated including the famous
Bull-Tiger Bronze Table.
In May 1991, villagers discovered new
tombs and burials in their
prospecting for mine and the burials were identified from Bronze Age.
A second large excavation was then conducted by Yunnan Institute
of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Yuxi Cultural Relics
Administration Center and Jiangchuan Cultural Relics Administration
Center from December 1991 to June 1992. Fifty-eight tombs were cleared
within 1,100 square meters and 2,066 burials of copper, iron, gold,
and jade were discovered. Most of the burials were similar to the
ones from the first excavation, but there were still many that
first appeared among Dian bronze relics. The excavation was selected
as one of the ten greatest discoveries of the year in 1992 and some
of the articles were exhibited in Exhibition of China’s Greatest
Cultural Relics in Shanghai in 1993. In the spring of 1994, another
tomb was excavated as one program of Sino-Japanese Cultural Exchange
and about 100 bronze and iron articles were unearthed.
prospecting for mine and the burials were identified from Bronze Age.
A second large excavation was then conducted by Yunnan Institute
of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Yuxi Cultural Relics
Administration Center and Jiangchuan Cultural Relics Administration
Center from December 1991 to June 1992. Fifty-eight tombs were cleared
within 1,100 square meters and 2,066 burials of copper, iron, gold,
and jade were discovered. Most of the burials were similar to the
ones from the first excavation, but there were still many that
first appeared among Dian bronze relics. The excavation was selected
as one of the ten greatest discoveries of the year in 1992 and some
of the articles were exhibited in Exhibition of China’s Greatest
Cultural Relics in Shanghai in 1993. In the spring of 1994, another
tomb was excavated as one program of Sino-Japanese Cultural Exchange
and about 100 bronze and iron articles were unearthed.
The Bull and Tiger Bronze Table unearthed
in 1972 is the representative
of Dian bronze relics. The table is made up of one tiger and two cattle.
The major body is a standing bull with its hoofs as the table feet. A
calf is under the belly of the bull. A tiger is at the hinder hoofs
of the bull, biting the tail of the bull. The bull is full of muscles
and the tiger shows strength in biting. The combination of dynamic and
static images reflects the struggling in the nature as well as the
power of Dian king. The table which has unique form and exquisite
craft is considered a rare treasure. Another bull-deer shell container
is in cylinder shape with three feet that are of squatting human figures
with head and hands supporting the body. The container has intaglio
patters that are in peacock and human figures. The lid has a bull in
the middle and one tiger and three deer on the edge.
of Dian bronze relics. The table is made up of one tiger and two cattle.
The major body is a standing bull with its hoofs as the table feet. A
calf is under the belly of the bull. A tiger is at the hinder hoofs
of the bull, biting the tail of the bull. The bull is full of muscles
and the tiger shows strength in biting. The combination of dynamic and
static images reflects the struggling in the nature as well as the
power of Dian king. The table which has unique form and exquisite
craft is considered a rare treasure. Another bull-deer shell container
is in cylinder shape with three feet that are of squatting human figures
with head and hands supporting the body. The container has intaglio
patters that are in peacock and human figures. The lid has a bull in
the middle and one tiger and three deer on the edge.
Of all shell containers, the most
impressive one is sacrifice container.
Its main body is in drum shape with four ears and three feet. Boating
and dancing figures are carved around the body. There are 35 human
figures on the lid, with some sitting noble women, following servants,
planting peasants and business people having deals in the sacrifice
spot. There is a hole in the middle of the lid with a copper stick in
it.
Its main body is in drum shape with four ears and three feet. Boating
and dancing figures are carved around the body. There are 35 human
figures on the lid, with some sitting noble women, following servants,
planting peasants and business people having deals in the sacrifice
spot. There is a hole in the middle of the lid with a copper stick in
it.
Yunnan is in the southwest of China. Due
to its geographical
location, natural environment and transportation restrains, it was
cut off from the Central China for a long time. Therefore the people
in Yunnan got little influence from the Confucius tradition in the
Central China. They worshiped nature and ethnic characteristics.
In artistic design and presentation, it was seen with primitive patterns
and rich imaginations. Though bronze crafts in Central China was
matured in Shang and Zhou dynasties, the forms and patterns of the
wares look dull and lifeless. For example, the ancient Ding
(cooking vessels), Zun (wine vessels) and chimes that symbolize emperors
and authority are large and heavy and appear to be solemn without
vitality. As to the material varieties, due to scarcity of copper and
tin in Central China, bronze wares are mostly weapons, ceremony devices
and court appliances which are used only by aristocratic class not only
by ordinary people. In Yunnan, however, the production tools, articles
for daily use, weapons, musical instruments and ornaments of all kinds
are made of bronze. For instance, the bronze umbrella and bronze pillow
that are common in ancient Dian are not seen in Central China.
location, natural environment and transportation restrains, it was
cut off from the Central China for a long time. Therefore the people
in Yunnan got little influence from the Confucius tradition in the
Central China. They worshiped nature and ethnic characteristics.
In artistic design and presentation, it was seen with primitive patterns
and rich imaginations. Though bronze crafts in Central China was
matured in Shang and Zhou dynasties, the forms and patterns of the
wares look dull and lifeless. For example, the ancient Ding
(cooking vessels), Zun (wine vessels) and chimes that symbolize emperors
and authority are large and heavy and appear to be solemn without
vitality. As to the material varieties, due to scarcity of copper and
tin in Central China, bronze wares are mostly weapons, ceremony devices
and court appliances which are used only by aristocratic class not only
by ordinary people. In Yunnan, however, the production tools, articles
for daily use, weapons, musical instruments and ornaments of all kinds
are made of bronze. For instance, the bronze umbrella and bronze pillow
that are common in ancient Dian are not seen in Central China.
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