The Bu Qi Gui Inscription and Genesis of the Qin State

The aim of this paper is to define the institutional difference between the aristocratic lineage ruling the service fief of the Western Zhou era and the royal dynasty, reigning over the independent state of the Eastern Zhou era. Different approaches to the genesis of the Qin State are discussed in this paper: the archaeological approach and the “Zhou fiefdom” approach. The first one lacks data directly describing the political process. The problem of the second one is its being based practically on one written source that postdates the events described by 500 years. Therefore, to escape the failures of these methods, the author developed a specific approach that would both deal with political and institutional data on the one side while using data from different sources contemporary to the events in question. Data explicated from Bu Qi gui, Qin gong zhong and Guo ji zi Bai pan – three inscriptions on the bronze vessels dating between IX and VII centuries BC was scrutinized and compared. Two of them were cast by Qin rulers and the third describes the events leading to the creation of the Qin domain. Comparing information of these sources with the data from Sima Qian’s Shi ji allows to determine the precise moment of the Qin domain being transformed into the Qin State and show the institutional innovations that went along with this process. The interior political change of this time is described (i.e. the political crisis of royal inheritance) as well as the exterior change in Qin’s place inside the hierarchy of Zhou domains, particularly the changing relations between the Qin State and the domain of Xiao Guo. This clarified the place that the process of territorial expansion had in this transformation. As a hypothesis, the author built a model presenting the properties distinguishing a service fief and an independent state.

Zeng state cemetery at Zaoshulin during the Spring and Autumn period, Suizhou, Hubei

The Zaoshulin cemetery includes five large tombs with an entry ramp leading to a central chamber on one side, 19 medium tombs, and 62 small tombs. According to the inscriptions on the bronze vessels, the layout of the tombs, and the grave assemblages, this cemetery was the burial place for the high-ranking noblemen of the Zeng state. Three hierarchies of tombs from large to small in size correspond to the social ranks of marquises, high-ranking noblemen, and low-ranking noblemen. Amongst these tombs, the occupants of five large burials in three groups are identified as Lord Qiu of Zeng and his wife Yu, Marquis Bao of Zeng and his wife Mi Jia, and Marquis De of Zeng. The Zaoshulin cemetery, along with the sites and cemeteries at Yejiashan, Wenfengta, Guojiamiao, Sujialong, presents a clear and complete archaeological sequence of the culture of Zeng. It also establishes a reference point for Bronze Age archaeological culture in South China.

Symbolism of decorative design of ancient Chinese bronzes

Статья является продолжением семиотического анализа декоративно - орнаментальных элементов, украшающих древнекитайские предметы искусства. Личина Тао-те (Tao-tie (饕餮) и входящие в ее состав фигуры дракона Куй до сих пор не имеет научного определения, так как ни в одном письменном источнике нет упоминания об изображенном иконостилистическом персонаже. Исследование опирается на анализ пиктографических изображений (иероглифических надписей) на бронзовых сосудах эпохи Шан, раскрывающих семантику некоторых специально подчеркнутых деталей узора. В результате исследования объясняется значение изображенных элементов: символа гуй (возвращение) и знака «уха» (эр) , подтверждающих принадлежность образа Тао-те к описанию божественного первопредка и способствующих в осмыслении религиозного мировоззрения государств Ся (2017 -1765 г. до н.э.), Шан-Инь (1554 - 1046 г. до н.э.) и Западное Чжоу (1045 - 770 г. до н.э.). The paper is a continuation of the semiotic analysis of ornamental elements decorating ancient Chinese art objects. The mask of Tao-tie (饕餮), including the figures of the dragon Kui making it up, still has no scientific definition, since there is no mention of the depicted, iconostylistic character in any written source. The study is based on the analysis of pictographic images (hieroglyphic inscriptions) on bronze vessels of the Shang Era, revealing the semantics of some specially emphasized details of the pattern. As a result of the study, the significance of the depicted elements is explained: the hui symbol (return) and the "ear" sign (er), confirming the belonging of the image of Tao-tie to the description of the divine primacy and contributing to the understanding of the religious worldview of the dynasties of Xia (2017 -1765 BC), Shang-Yin (1554 - 1046 BC) and Western Zhou (1045 - 770 BC).

THE BEGINNING OF CULTURAL MEMORY PRODUCTION IN CHINA AND THE MEMORY POLICY OF THE ZHOU ROYAL HOUSE DURING THE WESTERN ZHOU PERIOD

This article explores how the memory of the conquest of Shang and the rise of the first Zhou kings was transmitted during the early centuries of the Zhou dynasty, specifically as it was reflected in inscriptions on excavated bronze vessels and bells from the Western Zhou period (ca. mid-eleventh to early eighth century b.c.e.). Approaching these inscribed objects and their texts from the perspective of the theories of social memory and cultural memory reveals that commemorating the foundational past of the dynasty became part of an intentional policy of the Zhou royal house as early as the first half of the tenth century b.c.e. It demonstrates that by the mid-tenth century b.c.e., a stable narrative emphasizing Kings Wen 文 and Wu 武 as the founding fathers of the Zhou dynasty was established at the expense of King Cheng 成, whose role was gradually downplayed following the general logic of lineage organization, according to which the commemoration of the earliest common ancestors serves as the foundation of corporate integrity in a network of patrilineally related families. It shows that most of the men who included such commemorations in inscriptions indeed belonged to the royal patrilineal network, wherein they occupied the highest positions. It further exemplifies that the royal house cultivated the memory of the first kings using various media, including rituals, utensils, royal speeches, and inscriptions. From the analysis of such inscriptions, we can infer that that the foundational memory of the Zhou dynasty was usually reactivated in the context of political negotiations, some of which included addressing lineage outsiders. Finally, it shows that both the royal house and other metropolitan lineages modified the foundational narrative according to their current needs. This article thus contributes both to tracing the roots of the early Chinese historiographic tradition and to understanding memory production in a society as an ongoing process of negotiations and adaptations.

Provenance of Zhou Dynasty bronze vessels unearthed from Zongyang County, Anhui Province, China: determined by lead isotopes and trace elements

Thirteen Zhou Dynasty bronze vessels and two slags from Zongyang County along the north bank of the Yangtze River in Anhui were analyzed by LA-MC-ICP-MS and EDXRF. The results of lead isotope analysis showed that there were two kinds of lead materials in the Zongyang bronzes. Vessels in Class I, thought to have originated from the Wannan region were primarily used during the Western Zhou and the following Spring and Autumn period; while those in Class II, possibly from the local mines in Zongyang County, were mainly present during the Warring States period. Such a shift in the ore material sources is also revealed by the trace element analysis of the Zongyang bronzes. With reference to the relevant historical documents, we suggest that the transformation of the bronze material sources might have been associated with the changes of the political situation during the Zhou Dynasty.

Provenance of the Zhou Dynasty Bronze Vessels Unearthed from Zongyang County, Anhui Province, China: Determined by Lead Isotopes and Trace Elements

Thirteen Zhou Dynasty bronze vessels and two slags from Zongyang County along the north bank of the Yangtze River in Anhui were analyzed by LA-MC-ICP-MS and EDXRF. The results of the lead isotope analysis showed that there were two kinds of lead materials in the Zongyang bronzes. Class Ⅰ which could have originated from the Wannan region were mainly used in the Western Zhou and the following Spring and Autumn periods; while Class Ⅱ, possibly from the local mines in Zongyang County, were mainly present in the Warring States period. Such a shift in the ore material sources is also revealed by the analysis of the trace elements of the Zongyang bronzes. With reference to relevant historical documents, it can be inferred that the transformation of the bronze material sources could be related to the changes of the political situation during the Zhou Dynasty.

Art and Archaeology of the Bronze Age in China

“China” here designates much but not all of China Proper or Inner China, terrain controlled during the Imperial era (221 bce to ce 1912) by historic dynastic states. Vast regions to the northeast, north, and west—Manchuria, Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Tibet—are excluded even though they are now integral to the modern-day nation-state. Similarly, we slight areas of the south, for example the modern-day Lingnan and Yun-Gui macroregions, that only gradually were absorbed after the Bronze Age. In Chinese scholarship, “Bronze Age” (qingtong shidai青铜时代) serves as an alternate for the “Three Dynasties” (san dai三代) of traditional historiography: Xia (Hsia), Shang, and Zhou (Chou). Bracketing dates of c. 2000–221 bce are now widely used, the first an approximation, the latter firm. Bronze alloy, however, was just one ingredient of material cultures of the Three Dynasties. Other features include the appearance of states, social stratification, urbanization, warfare, and the appearance of iron (the Iron Age), in addition to achievements in literature, music, and philosophy during the latter centuries, a kind of “Classical Age.” Today, “arts” may encompass many forms of crafting materials for a variety of purposes and audiences. This bibliography specifically addresses architecture, bronze, jade, lacquer, and silk as well as music, pictorial representation, and writing. A term from the Bronze Age—“Six Arts” (or “skills,” liu yi六艺)—defined expertise for an elite male as ritual, music, archery, chariot driving, writing, and calculation. While the overlap between the ancient and modern categories is at best partial, these concepts do intersect in terms of makers and consumers and in social and religious purposes. The elite’s luxury lifestyle was sustained by the “arts.” Ritual required bronze vessels, and the requisite music was performed on instruments of bronze, stone, lacquer, etc. Chariots were outfitted with bronze; writing and picturing employed silk. This bibliography emphasizes Chinese archaeology, both as a discipline and as a realm of knowledge that have burgeoned since the late 20th century. Archaeology creates fresh evidence, which then becomes the stuff of excavation reports, investigative scholarship, exhibitions and museum displays, and reference works. Only some of this bounty can be cited here, and readers are directed to Oxford Bibliographies for Chinese Studies (e.g., Chinese Architecture, Calligraphy, Ceramics, Paleography, Ancient Chinese Religion) for further advice. This essay is limited to publications from 1980 and, when possible, favors English-language sources.

Inscriptions on the Ancient Chinese Bronze Vessels “Bi Qi You” (Late Shang Period)

This is a commented translation into Russian of three inscriptions on the ancient Chinese bronze vessels from the late Shang-Yin period (end of the 2nd millennium BC). The inscriptions found on bronze vessels constitute a special kind of sources for the ancient history of China. These epigraphic documents provide important, otherwise unrecorded data on life in the archaic society. Contrary to the texts of classical works, the nature of the ancient Chinese bronze inscriptions is ritualistic. They were not intended to be “read” but served as a tool of sacred communication with the world of dead ancestors. In fact, their “readers” were otherworldly forces. The correct understanding of these bronze inscriptions requires a specialist commentary. The publisher includes the inscriptions on the late Shang-Yin ritual vessels into a wide historical and cultural context. It is hoped this context will facilitate the understanding of the inherent meaning of the inscriptions. The comments will outline the range of problems associated with the interpretation of this type of sources from the late Shang-Yin period.

On the source “composition” of the bronze vessels in the burials of the Yinxu site

The previous studies on the bronzes were usually focused on their “assemblages”; through analyses to several typical burials in the Yinxu site, this paper presents the concept of “source composition” of bronzes, which emphasizes the source and disposition of bronzes, and pays more attention to the social backgrounds of the bronzes than “assemblages” do. This paper analyzes M303 at Dasikong, M1713 at West Zone, Fu Hao’s tomb and M1046 at Liujiazhuang Locus North of the Yinxu site, and then reveals that the compositions of the bronzes found from them may have two types, namely the single-sourced and multiple-sourced. Moreover, the multiple-sourced compositions also had various forms, which may be caused by the social backgrounds of the burials and the social relations of the burial occupants.