Grand Bronze Round Ding

An artifact in the collection of the Gansu Provincial Museum.

The Grand Bronze Round Ding, a first-class cultural relic, measures 60 centimeters in height and 50 centimeters in diameter, and is housed in the Gansu Provincial Museum.

The Grand Bronze Round Ding, this artifact measures 60 centimeters in height and 50 centimeters in diameter. This ding features thick, square-shaped ears, a deep, drum-shaped belly, a round bottom, and three legs slightly resembling hooves. The upper abdomen is adorned with five-toothed short扉棱 (fei leng) as a nose wing, decorated with six sets of beast-face patterns. The beast faces exhibit separate components that are Kui dragons with complete tails and claws. Delicate cloud-and-thunder patterns form the background, with interlocking patterns adorning the main pattern, creating the common "three-layer flower" design seen on prestigious artifacts of the time. A clan emblem is cast near the mouth on the inner wall. The overall effect is one of substantial dignity, extraordinary decoration, and exceptional elegance.

On the inner wall of the ding is a curious pattern; based on current knowledge of oracle bone script, it is not considered writing, but is more commonly understood to be a clan emblem signifying the protection of the Zhou dynasty, with the "field" in the center representing the Zhou lineage.