Qi is an ancient Chinese long-handled, curved-edged chopping weapon, similar to a battle axe, developed and evolved from a stone axe with a perforated handle as a composite production tool, and was very popular during the Shang and Zhou Dynasties. This issue of Baobo Micro Class introduces you to a very exquisitely made cymbal - The Western Zhou Rentou Jinnei.
This qi was excavated in 1980 from Tomb No. 13 of Zhuyuangou, National Cemetery, Baoji City, in the early Western Zhou Dynasty, with a length of 14.3 cm, a blade width of 7.8 cm and a weight of 0.45 kg. It consists of two parts, one is a rectangular cymbal with a wide tongue-shaped blade, and the other is a hollow human head, connected to the cymbal with a wooden coffin.
The inner two sides are decorated with relief animal heads, the body is decorated with snake patterns, the blade is decorated with animal faces, and the sides are decorated with round carved tigers, which are in the shape of looking back and walking, and the tiger's tail is connected with the blade, and the tiger body is healthy and full of vitality.
The head is square face, high cheekbones, thick eyebrows, large eyes, wide mouth, round nose, bangs in front of the forehead, braids behind the head, and a warm look. The facial features of the human head are typical of the southwest ethnic group, and braided hair is a unique custom of the Qiang people in the southwest and northwest regions. The whole copper cymbal is well-made, and on the small cymbal, people and tigers, beasts, snakes and other animals are vividly shaped and cleverly laid out, which is the finest bronze weapons of the Shang Zhou Dynasty.
In the long-term historical development, the shape and function of qi have a strong cultural color, and integrate a variety of functions. It can be seen that this Western Zhou Rentou Qinei is not a practical weapon, but an honor guard with the nature of a scepter, a symbol of the power to kill, and a relic of military power. In the Bronze Inscriptions of the Western Zhou Dynasty, we can often see records of the King of Zhou rewarding meritorious subjects with bows and arrows and axes, and their real intention is also to grant authority and force, and to carry out conquests on behalf of the king.
Guess what
It is not only a weapon for chopping, a tool for beheading, but also an important honor guard for officials to ride on public opinion since the Han Dynasty, and it is also a symbol of royal power. Do you know the role of the cymbal in the following pictures?
1.
2.
3.
Reference Answer:
1. The image of the executioner in Jin Wenzhong - used as a legal instrument for execution, used to impose beheading, waist amputation and other punishments are quite cruel.
2. Axe cart (unearthed in Sichuan) - The axe was an important honor guard of the Han Dynasty, often placed in the official's public opinion car riding with the axe cart as the precursor, thus symbolizing the authority of the master.
3. Refers to military power
bibliography:
CHEN Liang. Treasures of Baoji Bronze Ware Museum[M].Xi'an:Northwest University Press,2021.
Yan Yan." Journal of Inner Mongolia Normal University, 2008(5):86-88.
Edit: Bai Dan
Editor-in-charge: Cui Ruihua
Review: Li Qi