This bronze ware was intended to be a washing basin but became a trough in a barn. If not for an observant governor, the pan would remained there for a much longer time.
National Treasure 国宝
“Guoji Zibai” Bronze Pan (Water Container) “虢季子白”青铜盘（盛水器）
Bronze ware | Western Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th century-771 BC), King Xuan’s reign | Dimensions – H: 39.5cm, W: 86.5cm, L: 137.2cm, Wt: 215.3kg | National Museum of China Collection, Unearthed at Baoji, Shaanxi Province, Qing Dynasty, Daoguang Era (r. 1821-1850). 青铜器｜西周周宣王时期（约前862年—前782年）｜重215.3公斤，长137.2厘米、宽86.5厘米、高39.5厘米｜中国国家博物馆藏，清道光年间陕西宝鸡出土
Excavated during the Daoguang period (r. 1821–1850) from Baoji in Shaanxi Province, and donated by Liu Suceng 刘肃曾 in 1950, “Guoji Zibai” Bronze Pan “虢季子白”青铜盘 is valuable for its weight as well as its literary and artistic value. The pan is a water vessel 水器 commonly used during the late Western Zhou period. Small ones are used in conjunction with a jug called yi 匜 for washing hands. Big ones like this are used as washing basins.
The four corners are arc-shaped 圆弧状 and the four feet are all in rectangular shape 曲尺形, and hidden at the bottom of the pan making the mouth of the plate appear large while the bottom small. On each wall outside of the pan, there are two beast heads with rings in the mouths 兽首衔环, totalling eight. and decorative patterns in the shape of wave band. To move this pan requires eight strong men to carry it together.
Who was Guoji Zibai 虢季子白
According to the inscription, the pan was cast by Guoji Zibai 虢季子白, a nobleman in the Western Guo State 西虢 (1046 BC–687 BC) in the Western Zhou dynasty (1046 BC–771 BC), located in modern day Sanmanxia, Henan Province 河南省三门峡, bordering Luoyang (which was one of the capitals of Western Zhou known as Luoyi 洛邑).
According to historical records, Guoji Zibai was a prominent nobleman with many successful military campaigns under his lead. “季” is a numbering method of brothers, “伯、仲、叔、季”, so “季” is the fourth brother. “子白” is the name of this fourth brother in the Guo clan.
How it ended up in National Museum of China
虢季子白盘历经数千年后横空出世，而它的面世又为后来成为台湾第一任巡抚的刘铭传留下了一段传奇。
传说在清朝道光年间，虢季子白盘出土于陕西宝鸡嵋县，辗转为数位达官显贵收藏。同治三年也就是公元1864年的4月, 时任直隶提督的淮军将领刘铭传随李鸿章镇压太平军，驻扎在常州太平天国护王陈坤书的王府中。一天午夜，万籁俱寂之中突然传来悦耳的金属叩击声。刘铭传秉烛寻音，转到马厩之内，听到马笼头的铁环碰击马槽时发出清脆的金属声,他拨开草料一看,原来马槽竟是个大铜盘，盘底还刻着字。刘铭传知道发现宝物了，异常兴奋,赶忙派亲信将此盘送回安徽老家,并专门盖了亭子收藏铜盘，轻易不肯示人。抗日战争时期,为了保护铜盘，刘铭传的后人将它深埋地下一丈多深,才躲过了战乱。
新中国成立后,刘铭传的第四代孙——刘肃曾先生主动提出将铜盘献给国家,国家当即奖给他大米五千斤。1949年12月,虢季子白盘被送到了北京, 1950年3月3日， 虢季子白盘在北海团城的文物特展中展出，董必武、郭沫若、郑振择等人参观了展览。后来虢季子白盘入藏中国国家博物馆。
The Inscriptions on the Base of the Basin
The earliest collection of poems in China is the “Book of Songs” 《诗经》1（c. 11th century BC – 6th century BC), and the style of writing of the inscription is very similar to the Book of Songs. The inscription is a simple and beautiful prose poem with a sense of rhythm and rhythm, so it has extremely high literary and artistic value. It is worth noting that the bronze basin was cast on the 12th year of reign of King Xuan 周宣王十二年 (816 AD) of the Western Zhou Dynasty. The writing time of this inscription was actually about 2-3 centuries earlier than the publication of the Book of Songs.
According to the inscription on the plate, in 816 BC Guoji Zibai was appointed by King Xuan to lead the army to battle with the nomadic tribe Xianyun 猃狁 in the north shore of Luo River 洛水, and gained a complete victory, killing 500 enemies and taking 50 prisoners. Guoji Zibai cut the enemy’s ears off and offered it to the King Xuan, King Xuan held a grand ceremony to honour his achievement and bestowed him a lot of horses and weapons. Guoji Zibai specially cast the bronze ware to record the military operation and honour.2
Full explanation of the inscriptions in Chinese
铭文释文：
佳（唯）十又二年正月初吉丁亥，虢季子白作（作）宝盘。不（丕）显子白，壮武于戎工，经维四方。搏伐玁狁，于洛之阳。折首五百，执讯五十，是以先行。桓桓子白，献馘于王。王孔加子白义（仪）。王各（格）周庙宣榭，爱乡（飨）。王日：“白父，孔显又（有）光。，王赐乘马，是用左（佐）王；赐用弓，彤矢其央；赐用戉（钺），用政（征）蛮方。子子孙孙，万年无疆。
译文：
在十二年正月初吉期间的丁亥日，虢季子白制作了宝盘。显赫的子白，在军事行动中勇武有为，经营着天下四方。进击征伐玁狁，到达洛水之北。斩了五百个敌人的首级，抓获俘虏五十人，成为全军的先驱。威武的子白，割下敌人左耳献给了王，王非常赞赏子白的威仪。王来到成周太庙的宣榭，大宴群臣。王说：“白父，你的功劳显赫，无比荣耀。”王赐给子白配有四马的战车，以此来辅佐君王。赐给朱红色的弓箭，颜色非常鲜明。赐给大钺，用来征伐蛮夷。（子白作器以使）子子孙孙万年永远地使用。
铭文这样写道“搏伐猃狁（xiǎn yǔn），于洛之阳。” 这句话说明了敌军的身份和战斗的地点。通篇诵读虢季子白盘的111字铭文，2800多年前的烽烟历历在目。在西周宣王时期，北方的猃狁族入侵，子白在对猃狁的一次战斗中，杀敌五百余人，俘虏五十人。战斗结束后，子白将俘获的敌人献于周王，周王设宴款待子白，并赏赐子白马匹、武器等物。
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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.
Footnotes:
- 其铭文是一篇优美的韵文，文中“薄伐猃狁”、“折首”、“执讯”及“是以先行”等句，可与《诗》之《采薇》、《出车》、《六月》、《采芑》等篇所记史实相互印证，具有极高的史料价值。 ↩︎
- 虢季子白率军对猃狁作战，斩敌首500，俘虏50人，战后献馘，周宣王宴飨虢季子白，并赏赐马、弓矢、钺以资勉励。 ↩︎
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