"Other ancient civilizations of the world, such as Egypt and Assyria, have left majestic architectural and sculptural ruins for people to admire, while China’s legacy of ancient greatness is her bronze ritual vessels."

In the same way that a Greek statue of Apollo or an image of the Parthenon speaks to us of the origins of Western civilization, ancient bronze vessels represent the grand origins of Chinese civilization.

Recently in Shanghai, a city celebrating an economic boom, several huge bronze sculptures were commissioned to stand along the new pedestrian mall on Nanjing Road, Shanghai’s Fifth Avenue. A Ding cauldron, with a prominent taotie monster mask and flanges in the Shang style, dramatically marks the square. Even the newly-built Shanghai Museum is shaped like a Bronze Age cauldron.

The modern recreation of China’s ancient bronze vessels may be seen as an expression of pride and wonder at China’s early technical and scientific achievements. Even today, bronze casters can barely match the technical sophistication of China’s ancient Bronze Age artisans.