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How were jian vessels used for water, ice, and reflection in late Zhou 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.
In late Zhou China, the jian was a deep, bowl-shaped bronze vessel designed specifically to hold water or ice. These vessels were characterized by a simple silhouette, a narrow ring base, and two or four ring handles often attached to monster masks known as taotie.1
The utility of the jian was multifaceted:
- Water and Ice Storage: The vessel was primarily meant to contain water or ice. Larger versions of the jian were likely utilized as bathtubs.1
- Reflection: When filled with water, the surface plane of the liquid served as a mirror. This functional use was so significant that the word jian eventually evolved to mean "mirror" in the Chinese language.1
While bronze mirrors were also produced during this period for toiletry and funerary purposes, they were distinct objects—typically polished bronze disks—rather than the large, bowl-like jian vessels.2