Bronze Bu Finishing

Bronze bu came into being in the period of the upper layer of Erligan in Shang Dynasty, became popular in Period I of Shang Dynasty and tended to die out in late Shang Dynasty. There were over120pieces of bronze bu were handed down and unearthed. Bronze bu plays a relative significant role in bronze sacrificial vessels in Shang Dynasty. Though the research of bronze bu has started since North Song Dynasty, the objectives of the research are different. Scholars in the past usually just lay particular emphasis on one aspect of bronze bu and few people have made systematic discussion of bronze bu. This article plans to discuss the issues such as the name and functions, classification of type, division of stage and history, tombs utensil combination, regional feature, relationship with the folding-shoulder urn-shaped wooden wine-vessel without ears and zun with wide shoulder and a big mouth, the origin and dying out of bronze bu based on full reference of predecessors'research achievements by using the research methods of archaeological typology, statistics, cultural factor analysis and twice evidences and so on.The whole text is divided into ten parts, each of which discusses one issue:Chapter1, it is the introduction which reviews the research history in the past and points out the objective and significance of bronze bu research.Chapter2, it is about the issue of the name and functions of bronze bu. The standard form system of bronze bu is deduced from that of the bronze bu which has proper name. It also proves that bronze bu was used as both food vessel and wine vessel in Shang Dynasty according to literary records and unearthed materials.Chapter3, it is about the typology analysis of bronze bu. It mainly takes the bronze bu which is unearthed by scientific exploration as the objective of analysis and makes type analysis of it by applying typology principle. What's more, based on the classification of type, it differentiates the bu with folding shoulder and a high body, zun with wide shoulder and a big mouth from the urn-shaped wooden wine-vessel which is easily mixed up in vessel shape. It points out the interrelationship and difference of these types of vessels and makes standards of division which clearly differentiates these types of vessels. Chapter4, it is about the analytical research of the ornamentation on bronze bu. By combining the current research situation and achievements of the ornamentation on bronze wares from Shang Dynasty, it makes analysis and summary of the ornamentation on bronze bu according to ages and makes relevant explanation and discussion of the arts and layout of ornamentation on bronze bu.Chapter5, it is about the research of the division of stage and history as well as evolution features of bronze bu. It identifies the stage and history of bronze bu based on typology analysis and ornamentation analysis. It divides the development of bronze bu into three periods according to its evolution features, summarizes the issues of the features, evolution rules and regions where it is popular and roughly clarifies the developing sequence of bronze bu.Chapter6, it is about the research of the relationship between bronze bu and other types of vessel. After identifying the name and type system features of bronze bu, it differentiates the bu with high body from the folding-shoulder urn-shaped wooden wine-vessel without ears and zun with wide shoulder and a big mouth so as to reach the objective of clearly differentiating these three types of vessels.Chapter7, it is about the research of the tombs combination of bronze bu. It takes the tombs which are explored scientifically and have not been disturbed by robbery or though slightly disturbed, the vessel combination is still complete as the objective of selection and divides them into three layers including the large, the medium and the small. By investigating the quantity of bronze bu buried with the dead in various tombs, its relationship with other vessel combinations and its position relationship with the tomb owner and etc. so as to understand the status and ranks of the users and the functions of bronze bu and etc.Chapter8, it is about the analysis of the regional features. It divides the whole country into7cultural areas according to the geographical distribution of bronze bu. The cultural features of northern area and the Central Plains are similar while the regional features of bronze bu in southern area are more obvious. It compares the cultural features of bronze bu in the remote cultural region with that of bronze bu in the cultural region of Central Plains and thinks that the cultural interaction between the Central Plains and the remote region is mutual instead of one-way forced acceptance.Chapter9, it is about the collection, organization and analysis of the bronze vessel with inscriptions. Except the unearthed Gen bu of M355, Xiaotun M5and M1Hejia Village, Qishan, this kind of bronze bu with inscriptions is handed down from ancient times. It analyzes the inscriptions (mainly the nation badge) on bronze bu so as to understand the features of the nation badge of each tribal group in Shang Dynasty.Chapter10, it is about the discussion of the original and dying out of bronze bu. As for the issue of the original of bronze bu, it is believed that it was found in the art pottery relics on the west side of Minggong Road, Zhengzhou. The type system of C11T109(o)(2):17folding-shoulder pottery bu with a open mouth (it is called urn-shaped wooden wine-vessel in original report) of the period of upper layer of Erligan is extremely similar to that of M2:1in Baijiazhuang, Zhengzhou while is quite different from that of C11M131:2pottery zun. Therefore, it can be taken as the origin of the shape of bronze bu.1Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology of Henan Province:Shang Site of Zhengzhou (Medium), Cultural Relics,2001, Page755.