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How did a yan vessel steam food in ancient China?
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Chinese bronzes
Bronze gu from Anyang, Henan province, China, Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 bce); in the William Rockhill Nelson Gallery and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, Kansas City, Mo.
A yan was an ancient Chinese bronze steamer designed to cook food, particularly grain, through the use of steam.1
The vessel functioned through a two-part structure:
* Upper Section: A deep bowl featuring a pierced or perforated bottom, which held the food to be steamed.1
* Lower Section: A legged vessel, similar in form to a li, which held water.1
To steam food, the upper bowl was placed upon or attached to the lower vessel. As the water in the lower section was heated, the resulting steam rose through the pierced bottom of the upper bowl, effectively cooking the grain or other contents held within. These vessels were primarily produced during the Shang and Zhou dynasties and served as important ritual utensils.1