A History of the World in 100 Objects Chinese Zhou Ritual Vessel
Feb 17, 2010
Discover the transition from the Shang to the Zhou dynasty in ancient China through the study of a bronze ritual food vessel. Explore the practice of elaborate feasting with the dead, the role of bronze vessels as historical documents, and the significance of ritual vessels in honoring the deceased. Dive into the ancient conflict between the Shang and the Joe, exploring their strategies, beliefs, and the importance of the mandate of heaven in Chinese political history.
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Feasting With The Dead Shapes Society
- Ritual feasting for ancestors has been central to Chinese life for millennia.
- Families believed the dead watched over them and could help or hinder fortunes.
Bronze Vessels As Political Instruments
- Bronze ritual vessels linked everyday authority to heavenly and ancestral powers.
- The guang bowl both addressed the next world and asserted political authority in this one.
Zhou Conquered The Shang From The West
- The Zhou, outsiders from the west, overthrew the long-established Shang dynasty.
- Neil MacGregor describes the guang as part of the Zhou takeover story.