Why do bronze ritual vessels have high aesthetic value?

"Bronze Age" refers to the period from 2 1 century BC to 475 BC. It is characterized by a large number of bronzes, which flourished for a while. Its significance in the history of human development is just like the moment when teenagers wake up, which is the awakening period when human society gets rid of primitive, transcends barbarism and enters the stage of civilization. Bronze ware is an important symbol of materialization in this period. After people first mastered the smelting and casting technology of this copper-tin alloy, it was applied to weapons, chariots and horses, some household appliances, ornaments and so on. , but more often it is used for ritual vessels. They are: Ding, Wei, Zun, Hu, Pan, Gui, Gui, Bi, Dun, Wei, Jue, Jiao, Miao, Wei, Zhang and Yi. These objects have different names and sizes. Bronze ritual vessels are mostly used for religious sacrificial activities. Sacrifice their "sacrifices" and wine syrup to the kings of heaven and earth, ghosts and gods, ancestors and mankind. On the other hand, these bronzes also symbolize the power, dignity and hierarchy of slave society, and they are used to commemorate achievements, seals and so on. , and has the purpose of "showing dignity, not going up and down".

Taotie Wen (I)

(week)

From the aesthetic point of view, the most impressive thing about these bronzes is their extremely dignified and beautiful external shapes composed of straight lines and curves. Bronzes represented by Ding Hezhang typically show the beauty of stability, solemnity, fluency and elegance. In addition, there are exquisite decorative patterns on bronzes. The pattern contents include: animal pattern (gluttonous pattern, Kuiwen), bird pattern (phoenix pattern), Yun Leiwen, etc.

Gluttony is a legendary monster with a ferocious and mysterious image, which specializes in eating people.

Osmium is a legendary dragon.

Moire is "∽" shape, and thunder pattern is "■" shape derived from moire.

These rigorous and exquisite patterns can be represented by the "dragon" synthesized by the gluttony concept of Shang Dynasty, or by the "phoenix" sublimated from the bird patterns of Qishan and Joo Won? in Zhou Dynasty, which evolved into China's dragon and phoenix totem concept. Through the form of beauty, it is a metaphor for Shang Tang and Zhou Wenwang's philosophical thoughts of enriching the country and governing the country by the power of the times or the power of heaven and earth.

After human beings surpass all sentient beings in the world, through clear consciousness, there is a further understanding and difference between man and nature, subjectivity and objectivity. Natural and man-made disasters have a vital impact on the survival of tribes and the development of society. In view of human's limited understanding of the outside world and limited resistance, awe is inevitable. Begging for gods, pleasing gods, dominating things with divine power and expressing people's wishes and ideals are the important reasons why these bronze ritual vessels are very popular.

These bronze ritual vessels with great aesthetic value are solemn and steady in appearance.

Its pattern form is exquisite and decorative.

Its pattern content is mysterious, dignified and even horrible.

The mysterious atmosphere formed by all this embodies a heavy, depressed and fanatical psychological feature. Art in slave society is inextricably linked with religion, and the beauty it shows is an "ugly beauty". Although this kind of beauty is for the gods, its creation process and existence have shown the wisdom, confidence and ability of man-made domination over things.