Speaking of auxiliary heads, I believe most people will be very confused and do not know what it is. In fact, it is the ring ornament on the door, which we can often see on TV. How much unblessed love will gradually wear out in the knock of this auxiliary head. In fact, such cultural relics are not uncommon. The reason is that it is too ordinary, almost every household has it, and there is more than one; the other is because its material is often copper, iron and other metals, which are not easy to damage.
Rare things are expensive, auxiliary heads are so common, it is not surprising in the cultural relics market, and the price is naturally not too high. For the most part, many museums don't take it seriously. However, even the most ordinary types of cultural relics are expensive. At present, the four most precious auxiliary heads are the bronze shop head of the Warring States transparent carving dragon and phoenix pattern in Yixian County, Hebei Province, the head of the Warring States wrong gold and silver gluttony pattern, the head of the Warring States wrong gold and silver emperor, and the super fine bronze shop head of the Spring and Autumn Hun casting.
Among these four auxiliary heads, the Warring States Wrong Gold and Silver Gluttony Pattern Shop Head and the Warring States Wrong Gold and Silver Emperor Shop Head are in the hands of two foreign collectors respectively, while the Spring and Autumn Hun Cast Ultra-fine Bronze Shop Head is in the hands of domestic private collectors. Only the top of the list of Warring States transparent carved dragon and phoenix pattern bronze shop is in the Hebei Provincial Museum, so that ordinary people can also appreciate its style.
There are so many auxiliary heads, why can this one be ranked first? First of all, it is very large, its height is 74.5 cm, its width is 36.8 cm, the inner diameter of the ring is 16.5 cm, and the outer diameter is 29 cm. Among the auxiliary heads found so far, neither in the Forbidden City nor in the tombs of the kings, no match has been found.
Volume and weight are important aspects of the preciousness of cultural relics. The reason why the queen mother has become the weight of the country is nothing more than because of its unparalleled size. The same is true of this auxiliary head, but it is not only large, but also very beautifully made. Its main shape is the animal face ring, which is also the most basic shape of the auxiliary head.
Regarding the animal face, there are many theories and many shapes, most of which are based on tigers, mantises, lions and other beasts, symbolizing the owner of the town to guard the family home. It is also believed that the beast face of the auxiliary head comes from one of the nine sons of The Dragon Sheng. In fact, most of the animal face shapes of the auxiliary heads are a combination of various animal characteristics. This Warring States transparent carved dragon and phoenix pattern bronze paving head is no exception, it has curled eyebrows, eyes bulging, nose rolled up like a cloud, thick whiskers exposed between the fangs, and an octagonal ring under the mouth.
This kind of shape, obviously divorced from the image of the actual animal, is the innovation of the craftsmen. Moreover, on the forehead of the beast stood a phoenix with a flower crown and spread its wings, and above the bird there were two long snakes wrapped around its wings. The bird struggled desperately and looked back. On either side of the auxiliary head, there is also a dragon on each side, which seems to echo the phoenix bird. These patterns should allude to them, but unfortunately, most of the historical materials of the pre-Qin period are scattered, and we cannot convincingly decipher the deep meaning.
Not only is the pattern rich, but because of the opulent workmanship and the unparalleled level of production, this auxiliary head is exquisite. Its whole body is shaded with feathers and cirrus patterns, and there are many through-carvings embellished in it. This was extremely rare in terms of the productivity of the time.
Such a treasure, how did the Hebei Provincial Museum get it? Originally, during the excavation process of the Yanxiadu ruins in Yixian County, Hebei, people found it in Laomutai. Yanxia was the capital of the Yan state during the Warring States period, and it was part of the rammed earth architecture. In fact, the Yan kingdom was an inconspicuous small country in the Warring States period, and they could all make such a magnificent auxiliary head, and the strength of other powerful countries could be imagined. It's just that by chance, this auxiliary head has been preserved, giving us a different idea.
Now, when you wander through the Hebei Provincial Museum, you will find that the exhibition hall, especially the bronze ornaments of the 16 heavenly columns, are modeled on this. It has also become our precious national treasure.