Décor
When it comes to the décor of the jia vessel,simple designs are most common. The lack of complex design is due to the jia vessel being one of the oldest vessel forms. As time progressed,vessel décor got more elaborate. While one simple band of décor was prevalent in early Shang times,towards the middle and late Shang periods more than one band of décor was more common. As the Zhou period began it was not unlikely to see a jia covered in ornamentation. The vessel shape changed to accommodate the change in decoration,and vice versa. When more elaborate designs are seen it is normally the taotie motif,or mask design. The taotie motif shows two dragon-like figures in profile,that together to form the taotie mask. Whorl circles were also a common decoration on the jia vessel. [6] The décor on the jia can be classified by Max Loehr's five styles of Anyang bronzes. Style I is classified by thin thread relief designs,they are described as being light and airy and consist of simple forms. Style II uses a thicker ribbon relief. It has incised ornaments and harsh and heavy forms. Style III has more of a curvilinear design where only the eyes of the figures protrude and uniform like patterns appear. In style IV the decoration becomes separate from the background,which normally is made of the thunder pattern. The motifs and pattern are flush with the surface of the vessel. Style V vessels have decoration in a very high relief. [7]
Inscriptions
Inscriptions on jia vessels are typically found on the handles or pillars. Larger inscriptions are found on the belly of the vessel. Only a small percentage of jia vessel types have been discovered with inscriptions. [9] The vessel known as the Yayi jia,held in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco,contains an inscription on the bottom portion of the vessel. The Yayi jia's inscription depicts the symbolic characterization of a man,and on top of his head lay a cross-shaped symbol. This vessel gets its name from the modern reading of this symbol:亞矣. The inscription Yayi appears frequently in late Shang bronzes;it is possibly a clan identification symbol. [10] The jia vessel from the Saint Louis Art Museum provides further textual insights into the function of these vessels. There are two characters located under the handle of the vessel. Max Loehr states that the two characters are qiu Yi,"fermented liquor,Yi." Loehr further states that when read together it appears to mean,"for libations for (father or ancestor) Yi." [11]
Historical developments
Erlitou culture (first half of the second millennium BCE)
The origins of China's Bronze Age still remain unclear. Chinese historical writing suggests Xia was the first dynasty,preceding Shang,but no archaeological site has been conclusively linked to the Xia dynasty. The Erlitou site shows Shang culture at its primitive stage,retaining apparently Neolithic features. [12]
In 1986,four bronze jia vessels were found from Erlitou in Yanshi,Henan Province. This site is approximately dated to ca.1860–1545 BCE based on calibrated carbon 14. The vessels were cast by the piece mold method. One of them has decorations featuring three bands of continuous small circles around the waist. This motif appears on other vessels from Yanshi. [13]
Zhengzhou phase –Erligang period (mid-second millennium BCE)
The Zhengzhou Shang city was discovered 62 miles (100 km) east of Erlitou. Objects unearthed from the site of Panlongcheng represent the Zhengzhou phase. Stylistic similarities are seen from the two sites although Panlongcheng was not a very important city by then. Bronze vessels shared uniform styles across regions while later during Anyang phase outlying areas were diverging from the artistic tradition of central North China. [12]
Max Loehr suggests that bronze vessels during the Zhengzhou phase consist of three styles in their decor:style I is featured by thread relief which is incised in the model not on the mold;in style II,thread relief is replaced by ribbon relief which is carved in the mold not in the model;style III combines styles I and II with thunder patterns,quill patterns,and more bands of designs which are carved on the model not the mold. Jia vessels fit well into such categorization. The decorations develop from thread relief to ribbon relief with one or more vivid taotie mask according to how many sections they have. [8]
Regional bronze-using cultures (15th–11th centuries BCE)
The Shang culture expanded early and vastly. So did bronze-casting technology,laying the basis for provincial bronze-using cultures distinguishable from the metropolitan style. Systematic excavations of Shang-era sites both within and outside the Shang cultural sphere have only recently begun. Bronze and jade objects are among the more frequent discoveries. Some are imports from workshops in metropolitan areas or faithful copies of metropolitan pieces. Others show radically different tastes. Areas that had strong ties with the court would have kept in better touch with the style of metropolitan fashions. [12]
High Yinxu phase –Anyang period (about 1300 –about 1030 BCE)
An upsurge of activity at the Anyang site is evident during the long reign of Wu Ding,fourth of the Anyang kings. A rich corpus of oracle inscriptions from Wu Ding's court attests frequent sacrificial observances,during which the bronze vessels would have been essential.
One name that occurs especially often in early oracle bone inscriptions is that of Fu Hao. She was a royal consort,diviner,and military general. [12] Style IV and Style V of Anyang phase are seen in the two pairs of jia vessels in Fu Hao's tomb. In Style IV,images are raised in vivid relief. In Style V,images are raised up in high relief from the more flat thunder patterns in the background. Moreover,these jia vessels are square-sectioned,one of the distinguishing features of the Anyang Period. This fashion immediately faded away in Zhou. [8] The square forms in these jia vessels show a new aesthetic flavour.
Ritual revolution
During the middle to late Western Zhou period,changes in the ritual vessel types began to arise. The production of wine vessel types from the Shang dynasty,(jue 爵,hu 觚,jia 斝,fangyi,and gong vessel types),began to decline and would eventually disappear. The hu 壺was created at this time and would become the only vessel type used for wine rituals. [14] The change in vessel types from those of high quality and variety,to mass and uniformity,suggests a movement away from the ritual function of the vessels to a symbol of the owners status. [15]
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