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Whereas before, war was characterized as a
civilized contest between aristocratic armies,
during the Warring States Period (475-221 B.C.),
war evolved into the chaotic conflict we know it
as today. Kings and princes were replaced on
the battlefield by infantries lead by military
generals. Peasants were recruited to serve on
the front lines. Warfare intensified, especially in
terms of the duration of campaigns. New arms
and armor were invented, including the halberd
and crossbow. Chariots rode alongside archers
outfitted in iron helmets and body armor.
Defensive walls were erected in order to repel
invaders. However, despite the turmoil of the
times, the arts continued to thrive. Bronze
casting was revolutionized by the introduction of
the lost-wax technique, while the alterations of
kiln structures enabled new firing techniques
that resulted in fully developed glazes.
This oval shaped Bian Hu bronze vessel is
decorated with a Taotie ring holder mask chain-
linked to lid through the mouth of a two-ended
dragon. Due to the tumultuous times, the exact
date of this vessel is hard to determine but
influences from the Late Warring State/Qin
transitional period and vestiges of the tradition
of ritual practice is evident in the workmanship.
Bronze was an especially valued material during
the Warring States period for its sturdy, solid
attributes to be used in casting ritual vessels and
weaponry. With the victory of so-called
barbarian Qin, the primary goal for the new
rulers continued to be military conquest and
consolidation. They introduced a new system of
politics based on the ethical doctrines of
Legalism which taught frugality in mortuary
practices as well as in life. Thus, the hint of
simplicity in this ritual vessel reflects the
conservative and utilitarian thrust that emerged
as a result of conversion to a new dynastic order.
Used as an offering vessel in ancestral mourning
and worshipping ceremonies, the Bian Hu
represented one of the many styles of Hu vessels.
Its simplistic beauty and symbolic
representations of the dragon, a creature of
power and royalty, and the Taotie, a mysterious
animal-like motif common in all Chinese ancient
art, must still generate reactions of awe and
veneration for those who behold its essence as
holy.
- (FZ.343)
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