Square ritual food cauldron (fangding) with serpents and taotie

Object Details

• Description

  Cast bronze with decorations in relief and intaglio, the latter filled with a black substance. Grey-green patination. Inscription of 41 characters inside on one side.

• Inscriptions

  41 characters inside on one side

• Label

  Clearly visible on one of this vessel’s long sides is a cast inscription that records events associated with a key figure in early Zhou history: the Grand Protector or “Taibao,” Duke Shi of Shao. Since this fangding mentions the Taibao’s role in creating commemorative cauldrons dedicated to Wu and Cheng, the first two Zhou kings, it was probably made during the reign of the third king, Kang. A scribe or chronicler named Da must have somehow assisted the Taibao in this or another effort; according to the inscription, he received a white horse for his service. Virtually the same text recurs on three similar fangding, indicating they were made as a functional set of food vessels.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Ancient Chinese Jades and Bronzes (November 20, 2010 to January 3, 2016)

  Clay and Metal: Ancient Chinese Ceramics and Metal (February 25, 1997 to August 9, 2011)

  Chinese Metalwork (May 9, 1993 to March 21, 1997)

  From Concept to Context: Approaches to Asian and Islamic Calligraphy (July 28, 1986 to February 6, 1987)

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

  Chinese Art (June 15, 1982 to September 24, 1982)

  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)

  Chinese Bronze, Jade, Marble (March 1, 1957 to January 1, 1963)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 14 and 15 (February 25, 1956 to March 1, 1957)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1955 (October 24, 1955 to February 25, 1956)

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

  Special Exhibition, Chinese Art (April 20, 1954 to November 16, 1954)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1945 (January 9, 1945 to August 20, 1955)

• Origin

  Luoyang, Henan province, China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Vessel

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  BCE 0s, BCE 1000s

• Place

  Luoyang, China, Henan province

• Topic

  Bronze, Western Zhou dynasty (ca. 1050 - 771 BCE), Art, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Taotie, Snakes, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Vessels (containers)