Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How did a jue vesselās spout and tail shape help identify it?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Chinese bronzes
Bronze gu from Anyang, Henan province, China, Shang dynasty (c. 1600ā1046 bce); in the William Rockhill Nelson Gallery and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, Kansas City, Mo.
A jue vessel is identified by its distinct, elegant, and dynamic shape, which functions as a pitcher-like container for wine. Its primary identifying features are found at the rim: one side is drawn into a large, projecting, U-shaped pouring spout, while the opposite side features a pointed tail that flares out from the body.12
These features, combined with a side handle and capped pillars rising from the rim, distinguish the jue from other similar vessels, such as the jia.12