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Wade-Giles romanization:
yu
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You

bronze vessel
Also known as: yu
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
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Last updated
•History

You, type of Chinese bronze container for wine that resembled a bucket with a swing handle and a knobbed lid. It was produced during the Shang (18th–12th century bc) and early Zhou (1111–c. 900 bc) periods.

Related to the hu in profile, the you consisted of a base, usually oval in section, and a broad body, slightly swollen at the centre and tapering to a wide neck. The large loop handle swung from two prominent lugs (ear-shaped protuberances) on either side of the neck. Decoration included a large taotie, or monster mask, on the broad midsection, as well as other motifs characteristic of Shang and Zhou bronze ritual vessels. It was gradually replaced by the hu during the later Zhou dynasty.