Art. XV.—Description of Ancient Chinese Vases; with Inscriptions illustrative of the History of the Shang Dynasty of Chinese Sovereigns, who reigned from about 1756 to 1112b.c.

Extract

The vessel on the opposite page, including the cover, measured in height, twelve Chinese inches and four-tenths; its containing depth, seven inches and five-tenths; the length of the neck, four inches and eight-tenths; that of the body, eight inches and six-tenths; and the circumference, seven inches and two-tenths. It weighed nine Chinese pounds and twelve ounces. The inscription, which was engraved on the cover, and on the vessel, is, by the moderns written Sun, tsŏ tsoo yĭh paou tsun e, “The descendants make this beautiful or valuable vessel in veneration of their ancestor Tsoo-Yĭh.” From the form of the first ancient character, a hand grasping a missile weapon, this vessel has been denominated the Chetaou, or grasping a missile vase. The emperor Tsoo-Yĭh reigned 1496 b.c., and was the son of Ho-tan-Keă; who, owing to great inundations, removed his court to Ho-chung-foo, in Honan province. The compiler here remarks, that the ancient forms of Sun almost invariably represent it as grasping a weapon; and that its meaning should then be restricted to that of a son, not grandson. It is also stated, that their ancient emperors, to encourage agriculture, set their subjects an example by annually taking hold of the plough. When sacrificing, the monarch was required to take hold of the He vessel; when preparing for the sacred feast, to take hold of the Lwan-knife; and, after feasting, when the sacred dance commenced, to raise the Kan-tsŭh banner, for it was considered indispensable that all the rites of sacrifice should be performed with dignity and promptitude; hence, all who assisted at the sacrifice had with them a knife. This is assigned as a reason why the first character is holding up a knife, or other weapon. It is said in the ancient work Le-ke, that the “usages require that the arm, while dividing the sacrifice, should be bared.” From the relief and form of the characters, there can be no doubt, say the compilers, but that the vessel is very ancient, and was the first of this kind of vessels.