Fang Yi (collected by Shanxi Museum)
The Fangyi with animal face patterns of the Western Zhou Dynasty collected by the Shanxi Museum is a national first-class cultural relic, two thousand and six Unearthed in Hengshui Guiguo Cemetery in Jiangxian County, Yuncheng one thousand and six Tomb No. The overall shape of Fang Yi is rectangular and high thirty-seven Cm, mouth length twenty-two Cm, fifteen point eight Cm. The shape is like a house. Both the building and the button are in the shape of a four slope roof. The mouth is extravagant, the neck is tied, and the belly is slightly bent. The surface of the appliance is decorated with embossed patterns. The center of the lid and belly are decorated with circular swirling patterns composed of swirling patterns and moire patterns. The big animal's face is composed of two dragons on the four sides of the lid and abdomen, with wide mouth, tusks, huge eyes and sharp claws. The mouth edge is decorated with double dragon pattern. Square circle feet are decorated with long crests and hanging tail phoenix. From the cover to the foot, there are four corners, which are dignified and generous. Such a peculiar shape was only seen in the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty, and was rarely seen later.
Yi, the general name of bronze ritual vessels, is a wine vessel used by nobles in sacrifice, banquet and other activities from the late Shang Dynasty to the middle Western Zhou Dynasty. Fang Yi, whose name is just like its shape, was actually an expedient measure for the ancients to name such square Yi. Most of the Fang Yi wares are rectangular in shape, with a cover on the top, a straight mouth, and a flat abdomen. A few Fang Yi wares have a curved abdomen. It is covered with a small bottom and a large bottom, which looks like a house. Some of the covers are shaped like a four slope roof, some are shaped like a five ridge roof, and some of the joints with the body are decorated like brackets. There is often a gap on each side of the circle. Some researchers speculated that its designer might have borrowed the architectural style of the palace at that time. The lid and abdomen are usually painted with exquisite patterns, such as taotie patterns and cloud thunder patterns. In addition to their decorative role, they can also reflect the culture, religion and artistic concepts of the society at that time, with obvious characteristics of the times.
Fang Yi in the Western Zhou Dynasty often did not appear alone. In the early and middle period of the Western Zhou Dynasty, Fang Yi, Zun, You and Gong Hui formed a combination in three or two, with the same decorative patterns. When unearthed, they were also placed together, indicating that there was a combination relationship between them.
This beast face pattern of the Western Zhou Dynasty was unearthed in the middle of the Western Zhou Dynasty. The tomb of the couple 倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗倗 —— 倗 Bo. Some archaeologists believe that 倗 is a shame surname. It is the descendant of Guifang in the Shang Dynasty and belongs to one of the Chidi ethnic groups recorded in the literature; By the early and middle of the Spring and Autumn Period, the cemetery will no longer be used, and the State of Chu may be annexed by the State of Jin and perish, or move elsewhere; At the latest in the late Shang Dynasty, the Yi family had integrated into the culture of the Central Plains, and was strongly influenced by the culture of the Shang Dynasty. It might have been a vassal or ally of the Shang Dynasty. After Zhou exterminated the Shang Dynasty, it submitted to the Zhou Dynasty and was later moved here. (Huiting)
