What are the characteristics and changes in the decoration of bronzes in each dynasty?

Chinese bronze art, after more than a thousand years of development in the Xia, Shang, Western Zhou and Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, has formed a unique bronze culture. Shang and Zhou bronzes are the most important part of ancient Chinese bronzes. As the combination of Shang and Zhou bronze decoration with kingship and divine power is particularly prominent, its mysterious, unique and brilliant artistic features continued for more than ten centuries and created a very strong mysterious atmosphere of early Chinese civilization. Thus, it not only played a direct role and dominated that era, but also had a far-reaching impact on the later Chinese culture and art.

The bronze Yi vessels of the Shang Dynasty and the early Zhou Dynasty, which were a combination of wine vessels, were mainly used for ritual purposes, and their animal patterns were also closely related to ancestor worship. Some of the animals are to help the sorcerer through the sky and earth, and their images in ancient times will be cast on the bronze Yi. It is not difficult to imagine, the bronze Yi strange decoration puts people under the fear and majesty, in the sacrificial fireworks, giant eyes staring, wide mouth open, instantly roaring animal decoration, help to create a serious and quiet, secretive and eerie atmosphere, resulting in a shocking deterrent, fully embodies the will of the ruler, the power.

Spring and Autumn and Warring States period, political change, academic controversy unprecedented prosperity. The application of bronze is a combination of bells and whistles, has lost the Yi ware and ritual characteristics, to the daily life of the direction of development. Bronze is not only modeling based on the human scale design, decoration, in contrast to the previous period of simplicity, simplicity, tends to be delicate and luxuriant, dexterity and novelty.