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A dagger-axe of the Warring States period. It was unearthed at Lijiaba, Chongqing Municipality.
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A bronze battle axe unearthed from the tomb of Fu Hao.
| Here is a quotation from Zuo Zhuan: "Sacrificial rites and wars are the most important state affairs," suggesting that for a long time in ancient China wars
were regarded as important as sacrificial ceremonies. That explains why weapons and shields account for a large proportion of the bronze artifacts we have found so far. The figure is 30% for those from Fu Hao's tomb, next only to that for sacrificial vessels, and the proportion is even greater for less important tombs of the Shang-Zhou period.
Though meant to kill, bronze weapons invariably bear decorative designs. On some swords, for example, we find patterns of exquisite lines and gold-inlaid inscriptions. Decorative designs on shields and helmets look more mythical and fearsome than those on spears, swords and other weapons. No. 1004 tomb of the Yin Ruins in Anyang furnishes a most striking example. Bronze helmets unearthed from the tomb take the shape of animal faces, bullheads with long, curved horns, ferocious-looking tiger heads with big ears, and eyes awesomely large. Shields from the tomb feature long-toothed men or animals with livid faces, obviously to terrify the enemy.
Bronze swords and daggers popular among nomadic tribes in north China often have handles in the shape of sheep, tigers, horses, deer and other animals, in an artistic style good enough to influence the making of such weapons in the country's heartland. What merit special mention are bronze
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| Photo shows a bronze lamp used in Changxin Palace of the West Han Dynasty, which was unearthed from the tomb of Prince Liu Sheng at Mancheng, Hebei Province. |
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Here is a horse-drawn chariot of bronze, a funerary object for Emperor Shi Huang of the Qin Dynasty.
| weapons belonging to people of the ancient Dian ethnic group in China's deep south, which invariably have animal and bird images on them. Round the mouth of the tube for installing the handle of a spear or axe there are neat groups of animal images including deer, bulls, apes, wolves, snakes and pangolins. Round such a tube for the handle of a sickle-shaped weapon we find three human figures with a bull. A bronze spear enables us to see for ourselves the cruelty of the slavery society by featuring two slaves or prisoners of war with their hands tied behind their backs and their heads drooping. Exquisite lines are found on shields used by warriors of the Dian. The lid of a bronze utensil unearthed from a Dian tomb at Shizhaishan Jining of Yunnan Province takes the shape of a warrior with an armor suit on.
Use of bronze weapons kept decreasing in step with a constant increase in the use of iron and steel after the Shang-Zhou period. After China became unified under the Qin, the country's first feudal dynasty, all bronze weapons were confiscated on order of Emperor Shi Huang, the dynasty's first and, in fact, China's first, and were replaced by weapons of forged steel. As sculptural an objects , however, bronze artifacts have always important. To name just a few of such artifacts produced during and after the Qin Dynasty: a chariot from the tomb of Emperor Shi Huang, a horse from Gansu with a falcon under a hoof, as well as those lions guarding the Forbidden City and Summer Palace in Beijing. While known worldwide for an artistic beauty, these tell people stories that happened in China for a period of well over 2,000 years. |
