Dui (vessel)
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A ''dui'' is a type of
Chinese ritual bronze Sets and individual examples of ritual bronzes survive from when they were made mainly during the Chinese Bronze Age. Ritual bronzes create quite an impression both due to their sophistication of design and manufacturing process, but also bec ...
vessel used in the late Zhou dynasty and the
Warring States period The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...
of ancient China. It was a food container used as a ritual vessel. Most ''dui'' consist of two bowls supported on three legs.


Form

The ''dui'' is typically spherical in shape, possessing a half-domed bowl on bottom with a similarly shaped container fitting on top. Shapes vary from circular, ovular, or subcircular. Types from the late
Eastern Zhou The Eastern Zhou (; zh, c=, p=Dōngzhōu, w=Tung1-chou1, t= ; 771–256 BC) was a royal dynasty of China and the second half of the Zhou dynasty. It was divided into two periods: the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States. History In 770 ...
appear more spheroidal; containers become more ovular during the
Spring and Autumn period The Spring and Autumn period was a period in Chinese history from approximately 770 to 476 BC (or according to some authorities until 403 BC) which corresponds roughly to the first half of the Eastern Zhou period. The period's name derives fr ...
; and transitioning from the late Spring and Autumn to the
Warring States period The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...
, vessel types appear less round in shape, possessing a flattened lid paired with a rounded bowl. The vessel stands on either a single pedestal or is supported by three legs (similarly to the ''
ding Ding may refer to: Bronze and ceramics * Ding (vessel), a bronze or ceramic cauldron used in ancient and early imperial China * Ding ware, ceramics produced in Dingzhou in medieval China People * Ding (surname) (丁), a Chinese surname and lis ...
''). The three legs would permit heating of the food within. Each vessel sports two handles; either set or unfixed rings adorn the bottom portion of the vessel, allowing for easy transport.


Decor

The containers themselves possess highly intricate detailing, varying in geometric and curvilinear designs distributed in symmetrical registers. Many of these carvings assume biomorphic forms, depicting typical animal imagery found throughout ancient China such as cats, snakes, dragons or birds. Much of the designs are in-laid with metal, though few complete renditions still exist.


Examples

From the specimen found from the
Warring States period The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...
, proof of copper in-lay can be found in swirling spherical patterns that accentuate the shape of the ''dui''. Incised geometric patterning along with cat-like outlines emanate from the container.Lefebvre, pp. 122-123 Types coming out of the Late Eastern Zhou are spherical in form and possess three animal masks in relief; the heads are situated symmetrically around the lid, mirroring the three ''ding''-like feet supporting the base. Simple linear patterning covers the vessel in clearly defined registers, while high-relief rope bands separate the basin from the lid. From the
Warring States period The Warring States period () was an era in History of China#Ancient China, ancient Chinese history characterized by warfare, as well as bureaucratic and military reforms and consolidation. It followed the Spring and Autumn period and concluded ...
, ovular forms become subcircular shapes. Four fantastical creatures adorn the lid of this period's example, forming upright rings. Animal pendant masks hold moveable rings in their mouths, allowing for easy transport. In-lay patterning surfaces in this example too, with turquoise and silver in typical registers. Curvilinear patterns accentuate the shape; the more prominent bands of decoration portray symmetrical bird figures with intertwining bodies encircling the vessel. Border designs consist of S-shaped bands around the foot, lid, and body.


Function and Usage

In some examples the two symmetric hemispheres could be used individually or as a bowl with lid when facilitating the ritual process. Lidded varieties are evidenced by the lack of supporting structure on each bowl. The vessel might be displayed prominently within a temple or hall but also found use during feasts commemorating ancestors. At times, the vessel was produced solely for burial. In later periods the vessel became a symbol of societal prominence and the religious aspect receded.Food serving vessel (dui)


Historical Development

The ''dui'' functioned and was created in the Late Zhou dynasties and Warring States period in early China. The ''dui'' is one of the earliest types of near-spherical shape of vessel. In the middle of the Spring and Autumn period, people gradually began to use the ''dui'' as a warming and serving food vessel.Li, pp. 12–13 According to scholar K.C. Chang, the term "dui" was said to have been written in the catalogue incorrectly by cataloguers from the
Song dynasty The Song dynasty (; ; 960–1279) was an imperial dynasty of China that began in 960 and lasted until 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song following his usurpation of the throne of the Later Zhou. The Song conquered the rest ...
. First seen in Eastern Zhou, "dui" means "gobular vessel", but in Shang and Western Zhou, this particular vessel was called "gui". "Dui" was transcribed into the modern equivalent of "gui". Some ''dui'' vessels were inspired by nomadic Steppe art with sophisticated designs and colorful exteriors. After the Eastern Zhou dynasty, the ''dui'' might have been seen as a status symbol or used in various rituals. It was most popular during the Late Zhou Dynasty, but later it was replaced by another food container named "sheng" that was used during the Qin and Han dynasties. In the Warring States Period, the form was changed to an oval and the lid was transformed to reflect the body in a mirror image. They are sometimes marked as "watermelon ding" which were dated back to the early Warring States Period.


Important specimens

The Chen Hou Yinqi ''dui'' (陳侯因齊敦), cast by
King Wei of Qi King Wei of Qi (), whose personal name was Tian Yinqi (田因齊), was the king of the northern Chinese state of Qi during the Warring States period, when Qi was one of the most powerful states in China. He reigned from 356 to 320 BC. or accordin ...
(r. 356–320 BCE), bears an inscription containing the earliest attestation of the
Yellow Emperor The Yellow Emperor, also known as the Yellow Thearch or by his Chinese name Huangdi (), is a deity ('' shen'') in Chinese religion, one of the legendary Chinese sovereigns and culture heroes included among the mytho-historical Three Soverei ...
in the historical record. In 2004, there was a ''dui'' vessel discovered in tomb M6 in Zhenghan Road,
Xinzheng Xinzheng () is a county-level city of Henan Province, China. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Zhengzhou, the provincial capital. The city has a population of 600,000 people and covers an area of , of which is urban. ...
City by the Xinzheng Work Station of the Henan Provincial Cultural Relics and Archaeology Institute.China Heritage Project


References


Works cited

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External links


The great bronze age of China: an exhibition from the People's Republic of China
an exhibition catalog from The Metropolitan Museum of Art (fully available online as PDF), which contains material on ''dui''s
"dui."
''Encyclopædia Britannica Online.'' Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. 06 Feb. 2012.

website of Colby College. {{Chinese bronzeware Chinese bronzeware Containers