Transcription: Shang and Zhou Bronzes Bronze vessels already existed in China as part of the Longshan culture some 4,000 years ago. However, the use of bronze to make ritual vessels did not reach its peak until the Shang and Zhou periods. The beautiful designs of ritual bronzes perfectly capture the spirit of their time. Shang and Zhou ritual bronzes normally carry inscriptions. generally consist of accounts of meritorious deeds, gifts bestowed by the sovereign, or state treaties. Because the bronzes come relatively unscathed through time, their inscriptions provide first-hand sources for the study of ancien ...
(.mp3)