The Yayi Jia wine vessel was in existence between the eleventh and fourteenth century, Henan province of China. The Shang dynasty used it in the Anyang period for pouring wine during occasions such as rituals. Its introduction occurred during the Late Neolithic and Bronze Ages. The characteristics of this age were an improvement of cultural interactions, the emergence of new technologies, and stratification in society as well as a reorganization within the community. During the Bronze Age, the Shang dynasty emerged as well as writing systems, command of a huge number of armies, industrialization and infrastructure in towns.
The Shang dynasty had written records in the form of inscriptions on bronze stones. They formed ceramics using bones as well as bronze. Their ritual vessels such as Yayi Jia symbolized the power of command and elegance. The unique vessels used ceramic casting to be moulded using clay moulds. The moulds had designs that had encryptions to their back to assist in the production of a design. Bronze poured onto the model containing the designed moulds gave a replica of similar designs. During rituals, it was mandatory for wine vessels to be present, selected serving objects such as food and water holders (Cunningham, p. 35). The designs used reflected clear pictorial representations of animals or linear designs. Each mould had to be broken for the ceramic vessel to become complete. This meant that each vessel had its unique design structure that had to be formed afresh.
The frequently made vessels during this age were reddish coloured, grey or black. The Yayi Jia vessel had greyish, black colour on it, with minute brown colour; and delicate as it had additional art to it. Some green colours on the vessel indicated the use of heat on the bronze material. It had input legs, a handle designed in the form of a horned beast that held a bird in its mouth and slender. Its construction made it a complex vessel for use in pouring. Its centre of gravity and height made Yayi Jia unfit for pouring. The Yayi Jia made use of bronze for its structure. The production of bronze involved the mining of copper ore and mixing it with lead and tin to make it stronger. Copper alone results in brittleness after exposure to heat, thus easy to break. The combination of metals to form an alloy results in the production of strong metal. Ceramic pieces of moulds similar to desired designs in bronze resulted in the formation of bronze vessels. Clay, being abundant in the region, made moulding patterns and decorations. Trimming occurred to give space to molten bronze to settle in the ducts, as well as the use of chaplets to create the entire design (Hogarth, p. 69).
The Yayi Jia design involved the formation of a massive jar with three stands; two of its brim sides provided room for pouring and a handle by its side. The problem of regulating heat, the thickness of bronze required making the vessel stable and the addition of extra parts as handles and legs prevailed as they required trial and error techniques. It involved the creation of a thin model, which made it delicate due to its long height. Animal motif and broad spiral combinations constituted its design for decoration purposes. This complex vessel, which underwent a series of complex casting ideologies, indicated wealth accumulation to the Shang dynasty leaders who used it. The high relief animal motifs with thunder patterns also made it look more unique and elegant. The leaders with whom the Yayi Jia vessels associated during ceremonies owned them even after death. The vessel would be buried together with the vessel to continue offering sacrifices with it. The Yayi Jia vessel served the purpose of offering exceptional wine to ancestors during renowned occasions. This explained its complex square shape with decorations due to the vessel’s significance to the Shang dynasty.
Works Cited
- Cunningham, Michael R. Masterworks of Asian Art. New York: Cleveland Museum of Art, 1998. Print.
- Hogarth, Brian. Ancient China: From the Neolithic Period to the Han Dynasty. London: Asian Art Museum, 1999. Print.