User:Sm3438/sandbox

HI, I am Sumaya Menon and I am an undergraduate student at the University of Kansas. I'm in the Early Chinese Art class and I'm doing a Wikipedia project on a chinese bronze vessel called the Hu (壺) Vessel. My group members in this project are Ychanooo and Pikkelle.

Historical and Cultural references
Although the Hu vessels have many cultural references to it, one of the most important one is that it was used as a "Wine Vessel" in many cultures.Hu vessel found in the tomb at Chengdu, was used for storing grain wine.In one of the tomb, the Hu vessel was kept at the foot of the deceased and it contained weapons and tools and there was no trace of food offerings. Hu vessel called the Zhong Bo Hu was regarded as a bridal gift in the Middle Western Zhou Period and in the latter half of the Middle Western Zhou Period, large Hu vessels were seen as fashionable rather than as a ritual vessel. The inscriptions of the Zhong Bo Hu revealed that it was for the use of the sons and grandsons of the brides. Hu vessels were also considered to be as heirloom vessels.In the Eastern Zhou Period the Hu vessel was used for funerary practices.Hu Vessel meant to the Shang culture as ritual vessels

Baihutan Hu vessel from the Warring State Period was used to convey a story about their daily activities as well as about the archery tournament and the theme of the story is the activities of Nobility. Imagery such as the one depicted in the Baihuatan Hu vessel was never seen before, and they were extremely rare in the Zhou art.

Symbolism
Some of the symbols in the Hu vessels are T’aot’ieh or demon face, dragons, realistic animals and birds, and some of the abstract symbols like bowstrings meanings were unknown. The T’aot’ieh or demon face and dragons were associated with land and rain, the farmers worshiped them for fertile land and receiving rain because three thousand years ago, rain was a concern to the farmers and they depended on the deities to bring rainfall to their land. The iconography in the Hu vessels was not just for the decorative aspects of the vessels but it was also important for the ritual ceremonies and their cult. The symbols in the Hu vessels also acted as protection against evil spirits and to being good fortune.If the symbols in the vessels were inaccurate then it was regarded as an unfortunate sin. In the Warring States Period, a Hu was found with pictorial decoration and it was also called the Baihuatan Hu and it was from a tomb in Chengdu. In this contained scenes of people hunting, having an archery tournament, preparation of food,women and children collecting mulberry's from the mulberry tree with baskets, Musicians, dancers and wild geese.In the lid of the vessel there were animals but there were no humans figures in those.

Historical Development and Important Examples

 * Sourcesof Chan Yen-Yi



Function and Use
Most Chinese bronze vessels fall into two categories, food vessels or wine vessels. Hu vessels were used for wine and were an important part of cultural rituals. The hu is a pear shaped vessels that has been found in both a round and square form.

Decor
One example from this time shows the entire vessel covered with images that correspond with everyday life. Silk worm farming, hunting, archery, and warfare are all represented. Interlacing dragon motifs were popular during the Chou period.