Ritual grain server (yü) with masks and dragons

Object Details

• Description

  Ceremonial vessel, type yu.

  Surface: rough green patina, small areas of unaltered metal and earthy incrustation.

  Decoration: in low relief, high relief and incised. Inscription of seven characters.

• Inscriptions

  Inscription of seven characters.

  1. (From original folder sheet note 2) (J.E.L., 1937) I can only guess at the first and last characters of this inscription, as [chn], or [chn], or [chn], or [chn] for the first. The others are

  [chn] [chn]

  [chn] [chn]

  [chn] [chn]

  "...made this precious vessel..."

  2. (From original folder sheet note 3) (A.G.W., J.A.P., 1944) The first and last characters of the inscription are, as yet, undeciphered. The others repeat the common formula tso pao tsun i

• Provenance

  To 1937

  Tonying and Company, New York. [1]

  From 1937

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from Tonying and Company, New York. [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)

  Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)

  Chinese Art (March 9, 1981 to March 12, 1982)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

  Special Exhibition—Chinese Bronzes (November 1, 1961 to March 23, 1962)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Jade and Bronze (August 26, 1955 to October 25, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1946 (May 7, 1946 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1944 (December 13, 1944 to May 7, 1946)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to December 13, 1944)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork (March 14, 1931 to March 22, 1943)

• Previous custodian or owner

  Tonying and Company 通運公司 (established 1902)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 1000s

• Name

  Tonying and Company

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Bronze, Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE), Art, Animals, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Birds, Masks, Dragon, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)