The bronze kettle, although only 40 cm high, depicts more than 200 different characters engaging in daily activities of the Warring States period, such as mulberry picking, banquets, archery, and naval and land battles. It has become a microcosm for today’s understanding of that period.
Bronze Kettle Inlaid with Land and Water Combat Patterns (Wine Vessel) 嵌錯宴樂攻戰紋銅壺 (盛酒器)
Bronze ware | Warring States Period (475BC – 221 BC) | Sichuan Museum Collection, Unearthed at Baihuntan Middle School, Chengdu City, Sichuan Province, 1965. 青铜器｜战国（公元前475-前221年）｜四川博物院，1965年四川省成都市百花潭中学出土
The bronze kettle is embedded with multi-layers of pictures that can be divided into four layers with the triangle cloud patterns as the boundary. This inlaid technique, also known as damascene 错金银, is a unique metal surface decoration technique in ancient times. The method is to first carve grooves on the surface of the object, embed gold and silver threads into them, hammer and press them firmly, and then use inlaid stones to smooth and polish them to form various patterns, images, and texts.
After more than 2,000 years, we can still see the exquisiteness and superb craftsmanship of this bronze kettle. The discovery of the kettle provided rich information for people to study production, life, war, weapons, boats, ceremonial vessels, etiquette, clothing, architecture and arts and crafts at that time.
The first layer showed mulberry picking and archery1 – the ritual of mulberry picking 親蠶禮 was practised by the royals all the way to the last imperial dynasty as an important annual ritual as China was the main exporter of silk.
The second layer showed conviviality and war dance, and geese hunting. The guests of the feast seemed to have just dispersed, and the orchid fragrance on the lapel of the clothes still existed at your fingertips. On the left, there is a banquet scene of singing and dancing. Some masters sit in front, some waiters stand with fans, and some hold up their goblets to toast… In this pattern, several people dance with spears, which attracted the attention of archaeologists. Some experts believe that this dance is very similar to the celebration dance “Dawu” 《大武》 of King Wu of Zhou 周武王 after he defeated Yin Shou. Historical records showed that Shu people assisted King Wu in the Battle of the Muye 牧野之战, and this dance was similar to the Bayu dance. 2
The third layer showed two war scenes, one on land, and the other on water – possibly the first naval battle captured anywhere. This is a fierce battle: in the siege on the left side, someone climbs the ladder and attacks upwards. The other side stands on the city wall and defends with all his strength. Bows and arrows, spears, short swords and other collective battle. In the offensive battle, some people fell through the air, and some were beheaded. The cruelty of the battlefield was extremely realistic. In another naval battle scene, two attacking double-decker warships were flying war flags. Some were beating drums to help fight, some were rowing, and some were wading. The battle was also very fierce. 3
And the fourth layer showed hunting. It is a vivid and colourful picture of social life and reflects the change in the themes on bronze art from the customary rituals to social patterns and ideology.
The Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period was a stormy era. For hundreds of years, the heroes rose up and war was frequent. The bronze pot with the war pattern of the Warring States Period recorded the situation in the life of the nobles during the Warring States Period. It brought the limelight from 2,000 years ago.
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 :
- 春秋战国时期，“射”是贵族们修身养性的重要内容，为“六艺”之一，习射图便是战国贵族生活的缩影。 ↩︎
- 在第二层图案中，左侧表现了歌舞升平的宴乐场景。有主人跽坐于前，有侍者持扇而立，有人举觞敬酒……这幅图案中，有数人执矛状物的舞蹈，引起了考古学家们的注意。有专家认为这种舞蹈与周武王克殷后的庆功舞《大武》很相似。史料记载，周武王伐商纣的牧野之战时，蜀人曾经相助。与这种巴渝舞蹈相似的《大武》，可能是周人克殷后在巴渝舞基础上加工而成，也可能是古巴蜀人为了追念周武王之功德，将《大武》也传袭了下来。 ↩︎
- 最让人震撼的就是第三层的水陆攻战图。这是一场激烈的战斗：画面左侧的攻城战中，有人爬云梯向上仰攻，另一方立于城墙之上全力防守，弓箭、戈矛、短剑等集体上阵。攻战中，有人空中跌落，有人身首异处，战场之残酷无比写实。在另一幅水战图中，两条对攻的双层战船上飘扬着战旗，有人擂鼓助战，有人奋力划舟，有人涉水作战，战况同样十分激烈。谢志成说，正是因为水陆攻战图案的精彩，这件铜壶也因此被命名为水陆攻战纹铜壶。 ↩︎
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