Considered one of the three most important bronze ding 铜鼎 in Chinese archaeology, Da Yu ding 大盂鼎 was donated together with Da Ke ding 大克鼎 to Shanghai Museum until it was transferred to the National Museum of China. Together with Mao Gong ding 毛公鼎 in National Palace Museum in Taipei, they are known as the “Three Treasures of China” 海內三寶..
National Treasure
Da Yu Ding or Twenty-Three Sacrificial to Yu Ding (Food Vessel) 大盂鼎 / 廿三祀盂鼎
Bronze ware | Western Zhou King Kang reign (c. 1020–996 BC) | Dimensions – H: 101.9cm, D: 77.8cm, Wt: 153.5kg | National Museum of China, Excavated from Li Village, Jingdang Township, Qishan County, Shaanxi Province in 1821, Donated to Museum by Mdm Pan Dayu in 1952 铜器｜西周康王在位（约前1020年—前996年）｜高101.9厘米，口径77.8厘米，重153.5公斤｜中国国家博物馆，1821年出土於陕西岐山县京当乡礼村，1952年潘达于女士捐赠
Da Yu ding 大盂鼎, also known as the “Twenty-Third Year Yu’s Ceremonial ding” 廿三祀盂鼎, is a ritual cooking utensil from Western Zhou dynasty. The inscription on the inner wall is 19 lines and 291 words, which records the revelation at Zongzhou of Western Zhou King Kang 周康王 (c. 1040—996 BC) to Yu in 1023 BC 周康王二十三年九月.
The Da Yu Ding was unearthed in Li Village, Yin County, Shaanxi Province in 1821 and was possessed by the local magistrate. After a few rounds of exchanges, it was owned by General Zuo Zongtang 左宗棠 of the General Tso Chicken fame. General Zuo gave it fellow colleague and renowned collector Pan Zu Yin 潘祖蔭 after the latter helped him in times of trouble. Pan was a scholar of Jin script and figured out that the ding was dedicated to Nobleman Yu 盂 and it the Da Yu ding.
His brother, Pan Zu Nian, took the ding to Suzhou, and when the Sino-Japanese War happened, his descendants buried it in the yard of the Suzhou house, together with the Da Ke ding. It was donated to the Shanghai Museum in 1952 together with Da Ke ding and transferred to the Chinese History Museum (now the National Museum of China) in 1959. It is among the first batch of cultural relics forbidden to go abroad for exhibition in China.
In addition to the huge size, and dignified, majestic shape, the ding is decorated with a series of symbolic patterns that transform this piece from a food vessel 食器 to a sacrificial vessel 祭器, the highest form of bronze wares.
The face of the ding is decorated with a Taotie pattern 饕餮纹. Taotie are one of the “four evil creatures of the world” that eat everything. The symbol is to warn the worshippers that evil deeds will punished. Each of the legs of the tripod is decorated with animal mask pattern 兽面纹 with protruding flanges 扉棱 decorated with line patterns 弦纹. These are added to accentuate the majesty of the sacrificial vessel.
Inscription on the Inner Wall of Da Yu Ding
The inscription is written in the Jin script 金文 specific to early Western Zhou Dynasty bronze wares. The calligraphy style is rigorous and dignified, majestic and beautiful. Rubbings of the inscription have been passed down from generations and were a common gift among scholars. It is truly a masterpiece of the Jin script.
The text of the inscription translated to English:
- The first section describes the moral rationale for the fall of the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC) and the rise of the Western Zhou. Here, the King said that problem drinking made the Shang dynasty lose the Mandate of Heaven. The King commanded Yu (盂) to support the King henceforth.
- The second section is a short charge to Yu to emulate his late grandfather, Nang Gong 南公 (most likely Duke of the South).
- The third section is Yu’s appointment with military power and a detailed inventory bestowed by the King.
- The last section is Yu himself recording that he made this tripod for his deceased grandfather Nang Gong in response to the King’s kindness. It was the King’s 23rd year reign. The inclusion of 1726 slaves in the listed inventory is an important historical resource for studying slavery.
Details of The Inscription on the Inner Wall of Da Yu Ding
大盂鼎宏伟凝重，是西周早期大型青铜鼎的典型式样。鼎内壁铸有长篇铭文，记述了周康王二十三年九月册命一事。铭文中周康王向孟追述了文王、武王的立国经验与商人因沉酒于酒以致亡国的教训，告诚盂要效法其先祖，忠心辅佐王室，并对盂进行赏赐。铭文追述殷商变革的内容与《尚书•酒诰》等传世文献相吻合，具有珍贵的文献价值。从书法角度来看，大孟鼎的铭文通篇布局规整，书风凝重。
隹九月，王才宗周，令盂。王若曰：“盂！丕顯文王受天有大令，在武王嗣文乍邦，闢氒慝，匍有亖方，畯正氒民。在雩御事，[虘又] 酒無敢酖，有祡蒸祀，無敢 [酉夔]，故天異臨子，法保先王，匍有四方。我聞殷述命，隹殷邊矦、田，雩殷正百辟，率肆于酒，故喪師。已！女妹辰有大服，余隹即朕小學。女勿[象匕] 余乃辟一人，令我隹即型稟于文王正德，若文王令二三正。今余隹令女盂，召榮敬雍德經，敏朝夕入諫，享奔走，畏天威。”
王曰：“須！令女盂型乃嗣祖南公。”王曰：“盂！廼召夾死司戎，敏[言束]罰訟，夙夕召我一人烝四方，雩我其遹省先王受民受疆土，易女鬯一卣，冂、衣、巿、舃、車馬，易乃祖南公旂，用狩。易女邦司四伯，人鬲自馭至于庶人六百又五十又九夫；易夷司王臣十又三伯，人鬲千又五十夫，■■遷自氒土。” 王曰：“盂！若敬乃正，勿廢朕令！”盂用對王休，用乍祖南公寶鼎，隹王廿又三祀。
译文：
九月王在宗周册命盂。王这样说：”伟大英明的文王承受了上天佑助的重大使命。到了武王，继承文王建立了周国。排除了那个奸恶，普遍地保有了四方土地，长久地治理着百姓。办事的人在举行饮酒礼的仪式上，没人敢喝醉，在举行柴、烝一类的祭祀上也不敢醉酒。所以天帝以慈爱之心给以庇护，大力保佑先王，广有天下。我听说殷朝丧失了上天所赐予的大命，是因为殷朝从远方诸侯到朝廷内的大小官员，都经常酗酒，所以丧失了天下。你年幼时就继承了先辈的显要职位，我曾让你就读于我的贵胄小学，你不能背离我，而要辅佐我。现在我要效法文王的政令和德行，犹如文王一样任命两三个执政大臣来任命你，你要恭敬地协调纲纪，勤勉地早晚入谏，进行祭祀，奔走于王事，敬畏上天的威严。”
王说：”命你盂，一定要效法你的先祖南公，”王说：”盂，你要辅助我主管军队，勤勉而及时地处理赏罚狱讼案件，从早到晚都应辅佐我治理四方，协助我遵行先王的制度治民治疆土。赏赐给你一卣香酒、头巾、蔽膝、木底鞋、车、马；赐给你先祖南公的旗帜，用以巡狩，赐给你邦国的官员四名，人众自驭手至庶人六百五十九人；”赐给你异族的王臣十三名，夷众一千零五十人，要尽量让这些人在他们所耕作的土地上努力劳动。”王说：”盂，你要恭谨地对待你的职事，不得违抗我的命令。”盂颂扬王的美德，制作了纪念先祖南公的宝鼎，时在康王在位第二十三年。
Just like the Da Ke ding, Da Yu ding has a smaller version of itself called Xiao Yu ding 小盂鼎 aka Twenty-Fifth Year Yu’s Memorial Ding 廿五祀盂鼎. Its existence was confirmed by the rubbings of the inscriptions, but its physical whereabout is lost in time. A little trivial, Xiao Yu ding was actually larger than Da Yu ding by 4 dan石, and by the measurement standards then, it would be 120kg larger.
How the Da Yu Ding came to the National Museum of China
The ding was bought by renowned collector Pan Zu Yin 潘祖蔭, who also owned the Da Ke ding 大克鼎. He was considered the authority of ancient dings and had written many books and manuscripts about them. His brother, Pan Zu Nian, took the dings to their family house in Suzhou. When the Sino-Japanese War happened, his descendant buried it in the yard of the Suzhou house, together with the Da Ke ding.
It was donated to the Shanghai Museum in 1952 together with Da Ke ding by the granddaughter-in-law of the Pans, Pan Dayu 潘達于. The Da Yu ding was sequently transferred to the Chinese History Museum (now the National Museum of China) in 1959. They were among the first batch of cultural relics forbidden to go abroad for exhibition in China. She also donated her grandfather’s manuscripts and glass negatives of the ding collection, which are invaluable for the research and preservation of these ancient dings.
大盂鼎为清道光初年（1821年），在陕西岐山县礼村出土的。出土后，为当地豪绅宋金鉴所有，后来又被岐山县令周庚盛夺得。道光三十年（1850年），宋金鉴赴京赶考，得点翰林，时值大盂鼎又从周家流出，在琉璃厂善价而沽，宋金鉴又出银3000两，把此鼎再次买来，运回岐山。同治年间，宋家家道中落，其后代将鼎运到西安，以700两银子转让他人，后来又归镇守西陲的一代名将左宗棠所有。数年后，左氏在湖北受人陷害，
清廷信以为真，要召左进京问罪，幸亏工部尚书潘祖荫从旁说合疏救，才得幸免。左宗棠深知潘氏的嗜古癖，遂以大盂鼎相赠，以示感激之情。于是，大盂鼎又有了二次进京的机会。
潘祖荫收藏青铜器的处所号称“攀古楼”。“攀古楼”历年所储，除大克鼎、大盂鼎之外，林林总总凡数百器，据潘氏《攀古楼彝器款识》记载，尚有著名的史颂鼎、吕阝钟四、郾侯鼎、夫舍鼎、季余鼎、至鼎、齐、伯矩彝、季保彝、父辛卣、祖乙卣、休敦、季良父等等，可谓壮观。抗战之前，潘达于为留下藏器资料，曾请可靠的摄影师，对全部家藏青铜器逐个拍照，共得380块玻璃底片。从中可知，潘家在抗战前青铜留存尚有380器。
关于潘氏所藏的史颂鼎，亦是一尊具有相当历史研究价值的、不可多得的宝鼎。鼎的腹内有15行、115字的铭文，是记录西周册命制度最完善的文件之一，是周宣王时代的叫颂的史官制作的。全文大意是：三年五月甲戌之晨，周王在邵宫的太室即位，受命者颂在宰的引导下入门立于中廷，尹氏将周王的册命书授予史虢生宣读，内容是命令颂掌管成周市廛20家，监管新造，积贮货税用于宫御，为此，又赐颂命服、马具攸勤等。颂拜叩受命，带着有王命的简册退出中廷。最后，颂宣扬周王的册命，并为先祖作此宝鼎，表示自己将对先人行孝道，祈求康福、长命，永远效忠于天子。这样完整地记叙周天子册命仪礼的文件，在西周青铜器中是不多见的，历史学家们认为，这对于研究西周时代的册封制度具有重要价值。
当初潘氏每得一器，就与同好者切磋研究，图状释文，以传后世。常与商榷者，有莱阳周孟伯、南皮张之洞、福山王懿荣、吴县吴大等，皆清廷末年有金石癖的一代大吏。
潘祖荫于1890年去世，生前曾任工部尚书、大理寺卿、军机大臣。身后无子，所遗大批文物，就由其弟潘祖年赴京押运回乡，存放在苏州南石子街的旧宅中，仅青铜器就堆放了满满一大房间，另有一大间专放古籍和字画卷轴。潘祖荫的藏书楼称“滂喜斋”，亦为江南一大书藏。
潘达于嫁到潘家是1923年，丈夫潘承镜，本是乾隆年间宰相潘世恩第三个儿子的后代，世称“老三房”的后代，后来因为潘祖荫无后，而潘祖年的两个儿子过继给祖荫后均早夭，剩下两个女儿，大女儿嫁吴江同里徐氏，二女儿潘静淑嫁给著名画家吴湖帆，家中仍是无人继承香火，于是就将“老三房”的后代潘承镜过继过来，成为潘祖荫和潘祖年两家的孙子，兼祧两家香火，而潘达于就是两位大人的孙媳妇。
潘达于何其不幸，结婚刚刚三个月，丈夫就故世了，没有留下子息。这在潘家氏族中亦有一件怪事，好像潘祖荫的命中就没有后代，过继过来一个死一个，都是未成年或是没有子息就亡故了。有人认为这是家中收藏的青铜器太多，阴气太重所致。果然，潘承镜过继给潘祖荫、祖年当孙子，亦是白发人送黑发人一场。
孩子是可以过继的，潘达于的姐姐丁燮柔和姐夫潘博山将女儿家华过继给了她，在此之前，还过继了一个儿子家懋。可是收藏和保护潘家山海般的文物的责任，是无法过继的。结婚后第二年，祖父潘祖年也去世了，就剩下孤儿寡母过日子，上有老祖母，下有一双儿女，而中间扛大梁的正是瘦瘦小小的潘达于。
潘祖年去世后，外界都知道偌大的潘府中藏宝无数，盗贼就常来光临。又有各种人士前来打探，劝其出让宝鼎。有个外国人愿出600两黄金再加一幢洋房作交换，而潘达于坚不为动。她懂的道理很简单，然而却非常坚定，此鼎是几百年、几千年前世世代代传下来的国宝，不能出卖，只能保护好继续传下去。
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
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