PREFACE
As one of the earliest ancient civilisations to master the art of copper smelting, China developed a highly distinctive and advanced bronze culture. Within the vibrant 5000-yearold history of Chinese civilisation, the Bronze Age, a pinnacle of human civilisation, represents the culmination of the achievements of the Neolithic Age and the prelude to the even more glorious creations of the Iron Age.
The Splendour of Chinese Bronzes: Masterpieces from the National Museum of China offers an invaluable opportunity for audience in Macao to admire a wide range of bronzeware exhibits with profound meanings. The large-scale exhibition showcases over 150 pieces from the National Museum of China’s prestigious collection, unveiling the significance and charm of bronzeware in China’s ancient art history through their visual artistry, decoration and pattern, inscription and calligraphy, technical skill, and corrosion representation. The exhibition features a collection of rare and extraordinary bronze vessels such as jue, ding and zun. It comprehensively presents the ritual bronzeware system – the core of vessel usage – during Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Visitors are provided with the opportunity to gain insights into the mysterious and magnificent Erlitou culture, the Ancient Shu culture of the Sanxingdui site, and the chance to admire numerous priceless national treasures, including the Bronze Nao (musical instrument) with Elephants Design, the ‘Zuo Ce Ban’ Bronze Yan (steamer), the ‘Jing Bo’ Bronze You (ritual vessel), the ‘Liu Nian Diao Sheng’ Bronze Gui (ritual food container) and the ‘Shi You’ Bronze Gui (ritual food container). These artefacts illustrate the evolving craftsmanship and aesthetic sensibilities across the developmental, flourishing, transitional, and innovative periods of bronzeware.
The intricate forms of ancient Chinese bronzeware embody profound religious and ritualistic concepts, reflecting the distinct characteristics of their respective eras. From the moment they were cast, these bronze artefacts were imbued with social significance, serving to distinguish and delineate class and hierarchy. These exquisite and magnificent national treasures were not only tools for rulers to maintain political structures and social order, but also symbols for the aristocracy to assert their power, class, wealth and social status. Indeed, they were regarded as the foundation of the early Chinese ritual system.
From a political governance perspective, the transition from the concept of ‘ritual vessels epitomising social hierarchy’ to the concept of ‘food and wine vessels having equal importance’ reflects the evolving relationship between the central court and the feudal aristocracy, as well as the changing social climate and political landscape of the time. Regarding the innovations in craftmanship, the advancement of copper smelting and casting, along with breakthroughs in craftsmanship, led to the diversification of forms and designs, enabling large-scale production. This deeply impacted various aspects of people' s daily lives, from domestic use to transportation. As for spiritual beliefs, the grand and extraordinary forms, the fierce and fantastical decorative motifs and the solemn inscriptions on bronzeware embody two crucial aspects of the ancient Chinese state: worship and warfare. These artefacts manifest a reverence for the heaven and earth and a veneration of ancestral virtues. Bronzeware also served as a record of various worldly scenes, such as sacrificial offerings, military campaigns, achievements, and reward receptions – expressing admonitions to, as well as aspirations for descendants to cherish these legacies forever.
A line in the chapter ‘Implements of Rites’ (‘Liqi’) from The Book of Rites (Liji) states, ‘If one observes the world without insight in one’s heart, one will fail to see the truth. If one seeks to understand things without following ritual principles, one will not succeed.’ The profound and substantial essence of Chinese civilisation is imprinted in these ritual vessels, such as the zhong (musical instrument), the ding (food containers), the zun (wine vessel), and the jue (wine vessel). These venerable bronzes, forged and refined over millennia, crystallise the aesthetic and intellectual achievements of the Chinese nation’s ancestors. They are also gems in the global cultural and artistic treasury, reflecting the splendour of Chinese tangible civilisation and the indelible brilliance of its spiritual culture as they evoke a timeless sense of aesthetic awe.
Un Sio San
Director of the Macao Museum of Art