Tripod wine vessel - Jue

-1600

-1046

20.3

7.5

17.7

HKU.B.1953.0004

This Jue is one of the earliest bronzes uncovered in China, which can be dated back to the Chinese Bronze Age. The Jue presents a very iconic decorative pattern on its body that is the distinct and iconic decoration on Bronze vessels in the Chinese Bronze Age. The continuous spiral lines of the Jue's body are the Leiwen Motif, which serves as a background and simulates Thunder and Cloud. There are two lifted circle on the body, which denotes the eyes of the ancient Chinese mythological creature "Taotie". This Jue was made by clay piece-mould casting method that pours the molten bronze into the clay moulds and let it cool down.

Jue is a wine vessel mainly for the ritual to the ancestors. Strong resistance to erosion of the bronze can allow the Jue to serve the ancestor for thousands of years. During the Shang Dynasty, people believed that deceased ancestors were not consciously dead, but went to a new world where the society was the same as ours. As a result, Jue, with other bronze vessels, serve as the funerary paraphernalia, placed into the tomb, that accompanies the ancestors to the new world and serves their daily life. Before being placed into the tomb, Jue will be filled with wine and the attendance will pour the wine to the ground (libation), which means offering the wine to the ancestor in another world with respect and reminiscence.