Treasure Canons · TC1

Vessels of Rite and Virtue

Ritual bronzes, ancestral vessels and seals: how objects carried rite, order and the bonds between people

165treasures

13dynasties

44institutions

This canon gathers objects that embodied rite and human relations: ding, gui and zun vessels for ancestral sacrifice, inscribed bronzes recording merit and oaths, seals that proclaimed legitimacy, and the objects of filial and funerary care. Through them, rite became an order that could be displayed, inherited and held.

Representative treasures

165 treasures
Early Western Zhou · Bronze Food VesselsLi GuiThe bronze that dates the Zhou conquest of ShangNational Museum of ChinaTE10001Late Shang dynasty · Bronze Food VesselsHoumuwu DingA royal ritual cauldron weighing over 830 kilogramsNational Museum of ChinaTE10002Late Western Zhou · Bronze Food VesselsDa Ke DingA Western Zhou giant guarded by the Pan familyShanghai MuseumTE10003Early Western Zhou · Bronze Food VesselsDa Yu DingA royal charge of the early Zhou, cast in bronzeNational Museum of ChinaTE10004Late Western Zhou · Bronze Food VesselsMao Gong DingKing Xuan's long charge to the Duke of MaoNational Palace MuseumTE10005Early Western Zhou · Bronze Wine VesselsHe ZunWhere the word Zhongguo first appears in writingBaoji Bronze Ware MuseumTE10006Late Shang dynasty · Bronze Wine VesselsFour-Ram Square ZunA Shang bronze shattered in wartime and pieced back togetherNational Museum of ChinaTE10007Early Warring States period · Bronze Wine VesselsZun and Pan of Marquis Yi of ZengBronze as fine as lace from Marquis Yi's tombHubei Provincial MuseumTE10008Middle Spring and Autumn period · Bronze Wine VesselsLotus and Crane Square HuA crane about to take flight from a lotusHenan MuseumTE10009Middle Western Zhou · Bronze Water VesselsShi Qiang PanA Zhou court scribe's history of his dynastyBaoji Bronze Ware MuseumTE10010Late Western Zhou · Bronze Water VesselsGuo Ji Zi Bai PanA battle report in rhyming four-character verseNational Museum of ChinaTE10011Late Shang dynasty · Gold & Silver OrnamentsGold Staff from SanxingduiThe golden sceptre of the Shu kingsSanxingdui MuseumTE10015

Metalwork

47 treasures
Early Western Zhou · Bronze Food VesselsLi GuiThe bronze that dates the Zhou conquest of ShangNational Museum of ChinaTE10001Late Shang dynasty · Bronze Food VesselsHoumuwu DingA royal ritual cauldron weighing over 830 kilogramsNational Museum of ChinaTE10002Late Western Zhou · Bronze Food VesselsDa Ke DingA Western Zhou giant guarded by the Pan familyShanghai MuseumTE10003Early Western Zhou · Bronze Food VesselsDa Yu DingA royal charge of the early Zhou, cast in bronzeNational Museum of ChinaTE10004Late Western Zhou · Bronze Food VesselsMao Gong DingKing Xuan's long charge to the Duke of MaoNational Palace MuseumTE10005Early Western Zhou · Bronze Wine VesselsHe ZunWhere the word Zhongguo first appears in writingBaoji Bronze Ware MuseumTE10006Late Shang dynasty · Bronze Wine VesselsFour-Ram Square ZunA Shang bronze shattered in wartime and pieced back togetherNational Museum of ChinaTE10007Early Warring States period · Bronze Wine VesselsZun and Pan of Marquis Yi of ZengBronze as fine as lace from Marquis Yi's tombHubei Provincial MuseumTE10008Middle Spring and Autumn period · Bronze Wine VesselsLotus and Crane Square HuA crane about to take flight from a lotusHenan MuseumTE10009Middle Western Zhou · Bronze Water VesselsShi Qiang PanA Zhou court scribe's history of his dynastyBaoji Bronze Ware MuseumTE10010Late Western Zhou · Bronze Water VesselsGuo Ji Zi Bai PanA battle report in rhyming four-character verseNational Museum of ChinaTE10011Late Shang dynasty · Gold & Silver OrnamentsGold Staff from SanxingduiThe golden sceptre of the Shu kingsSanxingdui MuseumTE1001535 more · open Metalwork

Jades

19 treasures
Western Han dynasty · Burial JadesJade Burial Suit of Liu ShengA suit of jade stitched with goldHebei MuseumTE10019Western Han dynasty · Imperial SealsJade Seal of the EmpressThe white jade seal of a Han empressShaanxi History MuseumTE10021Late Shang dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Zhang Blade with Engraved Figures from SanxingduiA jade blade showing the Shu mountain ritesSanxingdui MuseumTE10108Xia (Erlitou culture) · Ritual JadesSeven-holed Jade Blade from ErlitouThe largest jade from the Xia capitalErlitou Site Museum of the Xia CapitalTE10109Northern Song dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Book for the Earth Sacrifice of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, First Year of Dazhong Xiangfu, with 52 Casket InlaysJade tablets from a Song imperial riteNational Palace MuseumTE10110Tang dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Book for the Earth Sacrifice of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Thirteenth Year of KaiyuanThe jade book of Tang Xuanzong's Mount Tai riteNational Palace MuseumTE10111Neolithic, Longshan culture · Ritual JadesJade Gui Tablet with Human Face DesignA face on a Longshan jadeNational Palace MuseumTE10112Neolithic, Longshan culture · Ritual JadesJade Gui Tablet with Hawk DesignA hawk on a Longshan jadeNational Palace MuseumTE10113Shang dynasty · Ritual JadesGreat Jade Dagger-axe from PanlongchengA giant jade blade from the Yangzi Shang cityHubei Provincial MuseumTE10115Neolithic, Liangzhu culture · Ritual JadesLiangzhu Jade Yue Axe with Deity and Beast MaskThe jade axe of a Liangzhu kingZhejiang Provincial MuseumTE10116Western Han dynasty (Nanyue kingdom) · Burial JadesSilk-threaded Jade Suit of the Nanyue KingThe Nanyue king's jade suitNanyue King MuseumTE10118Western Zhou dynasty · Jade OrnamentsJade Pectoral Set of the Wife of a Marquis of JinThe jade adornment of a Jin marquiseShanxi MuseumTE101237 more · open Jades

Ceramics

7 treasures
Neolithic, Yangshao culture · Prehistoric PotteryPainted Pottery Basin with Human Face and Fish DesignThe fish-faced figure the Banpo people paintedNational Museum of ChinaTE10022Neolithic, Taosi (Longshan) culture · Prehistoric PotteryPainted Pottery Plate with Coiled DragonA red dragon coiled in a Taosi plateInstitute of Archaeology, Chinese Academy of Social SciencesTE10149Neolithic, Yangshao culture · Prehistoric PotteryPainted Pottery Urn with Stork, Fish and Stone AxeA picture painted more than five thousand years agoNational Museum of ChinaTE10150Eastern Wu (Three Kingdoms) · Celadon WaresCeladon Granary Jar Dated Third Year of Yong'anA dated Three Kingdoms soul jarPalace MuseumTE10159Northern Song dynasty · Celadon WaresGuan Ware Zun with Tubular HandlesA Guan zun with tubular handlesJilin Provincial MuseumTE10165Yuan dynasty, dated 1351 · Blue-and-White WaresDavid VasesThe vases that put a date on Yuan blue-and-whiteBritish MuseumTE10189Yuan dynasty · Blue-and-White WaresBlue-and-white and Underglaze Red Porcelain Granary ModelA Yuan pavilion granary made in porcelainJiangxi Provincial MuseumTE10191

Brushwork

57 treasures
Tang dynasty · Calligraphy OriginalsYan Zhenqing, Draft Requiem for My NephewGrief and fury among the crossings-outNational Palace MuseumTE10028Southern and Northern Dynasties to Tang, 5th-8th century · Figure PaintingAdmonitions of the Instructress to the Court LadiesAn ancient scroll on the conduct of court ladiesBritish MuseumTE10030Western Han dynasty · Murals & Silk PaintingsT-shaped Silk Banner from Mawangdui Tomb No. 1A silk banner to guide the soul to heavenHunan MuseumTE10040Tang dynasty · Calligraphy OriginalsXu Hao, Patent of Office for Zhu JuchuanA Tang official's letter of appointmentNational Palace MuseumTE10213Ming dynasty · Calligraphy OriginalsDong Qichang, Zhou Dunyi's TongshuDong Qichang writes a Neo-Confucian classicNational Palace MuseumTE10242Qing dynasty · Calligraphy OriginalsKangxi Emperor, Wanshi Shibiao (Model Teacher for All Ages)Kangxi's tribute to ConfuciusNational Palace MuseumTE10249Southern Ming · Steles & RubbingsEpitaph of Prince Lu, Regent of the MingThe last resting place of a Southern Ming regentNational Museum of HistoryTE10272Southern Song, reign of Lizong, from about 1230 · Figure PaintingSeated Portrait of FuxiFuxi with the eight trigrams at his feetNational Palace MuseumTE10276Yuan dynasty · Figure PaintingAlbum of Half-length Portraits of Yuan EmpressesYuan empresses in their tall headdressesNational Palace MuseumTE10279Yuan dynasty · Figure PaintingAlbum of Half-length Portraits of Yuan EmperorsThe faces of Chinggis and KublaiNational Palace MuseumTE10280Yuan, 1280 · Figure PaintingLiu Guandao, Kublai Khan HuntingKublai Khan on the steppeNational Palace MuseumTE10281Southern Tang (Five Dynasties) · Figure PaintingWei Xian, The Lofty ScholarRaising the tray to the eyebrows in a mountain retreatPalace MuseumTE1028745 more · open Brushwork

Books

20 treasures
Northern Song dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Book for the Earth Sacrifice of Emperor Zhenzong of Song, First Year of Dazhong Xiangfu, with 52 Casket InlaysJade tablets from a Song imperial riteNational Palace MuseumTE10110Tang dynasty · Ritual JadesJade Book for the Earth Sacrifice of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, Thirteenth Year of KaiyuanThe jade book of Tang Xuanzong's Mount Tai riteNational Palace MuseumTE10111Tang dynasty · Calligraphy OriginalsXu Hao, Patent of Office for Zhu JuchuanA Tang official's letter of appointmentNational Palace MuseumTE10213Late Shang dynasty · Oracle BonesInscribed Deer SkullA royal hunt recorded on a deer's skullInstitute of History and Philology, Academia SinicaTE10509Qin dynasty · Bamboo Slips & Silk TextsYuelu Academy Qin SlipsQin law and arithmetic bought back from Hong KongYuelu Academy, Hunan UniversityTE10516Six Dynasties · ManuscriptsMahaparinirvana Sutra (Six Dynasties Manuscript Scroll)A Nirvana Sutra copied for a late wifeNational Central LibraryTE10529Late Tang (colophon dated 875) · ManuscriptsXiaochao Commentary (Tang Manuscript Scroll)A late Tang notebook of monastic rulesNational Central LibraryTE10533Ming, Jiajing-Longqing re-copy · ManuscriptsYongle Encyclopedia, Juan 20478-20479A small dictionary of ancient officesNational Central LibraryTE10545Ming, Jiajing-Longqing re-copy · ManuscriptsYongle Encyclopedia, Juan 485-486Two juan on loyaltyNational Central LibraryTE10547Qing, ordered in 1770 (Qianlong 35) · ManuscriptsTibetan Manuscript KanjurA golden canon for an empress dowager's eightieth birthdayNational Palace MuseumTE10552Qing, 1667-1669 (Kangxi 6-8) · ManuscriptsTibetan Manuscript Dragon KanjurA Buddhist canon of 108 jewelled casesNational Palace MuseumTE10553Qing, 1674 (Kangxi 13) · ManuscriptsCollected Dharani Sutras, Gu-zang 000025Spells for the young Kangxi EmperorNational Palace MuseumTE105548 more · open Books

Furniture

4 treasures
Northern Wei dynasty · Painted LacquerLacquer Screen from the Tomb of Sima JinlongNorthern Wei virtue painted in lacquerDatong MuseumTE10604Three Kingdoms, Eastern Wu · Painted LacquerPainted Lacquer Plate with Ji Zha Hanging His SwordA promise kept, painted in lacquerAnhui Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and ArchaeologyTE10605Early Warring States period · Painted LacquerOuter Coffin of Marquis Yi of ZengA marquis's coffin framed in bronzeHubei Provincial MuseumTE10610Western Han dynasty · Painted LacquerCoffin Set of Mawangdui Tomb No. 1Lady Dai's nested coffinsHunan MuseumTE10615

Textiles

3 treasures
Ming dynasty, Wanli reign · Crowns & HeadwearNine-dragon nine-phoenix crown of Empress XiaoduanThe ceremonial crown of a Wanli empressNational Museum of ChinaTE10049Ming dynasty, Wanli reign · Crowns & HeadwearThree-dragon two-phoenix crown of Empress XiaojingAn empress's crown of three dragons and two phoenixesPalace MuseumTE10641Ming dynasty, Wanli reign · Crowns & HeadwearGold-filigree winged crown of the Wanli EmperorAn emperor's crown of woven goldDingling Museum, Ming TombsTE10642

Sculpture

11 treasures
Qin dynasty · Tomb FiguresTerracotta Army of the Mausoleum of the First Qin EmperorThe First Emperor's army undergroundEmperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site MuseumTE10051Late Shang dynasty · Bronze Figures & SculptureBronze Standing Figure from SanxingduiAmong the tallest bronze figures of its ageSanxingdui MuseumTE10053Qin dynasty · Bronze Figures & SculptureBronze Chariots and Horses of Qin Shihuang's MausoleumCarriages for the First Emperor's journeys in the afterlifeEmperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site MuseumTE10054Western Han dynasty · Tomb & Monumental StoneStone Sculptures of the Maoling MausoleumA stone memorial to a young generalMaoling MuseumTE10058Western Han dynasty · Censers & Other MetalworkCowrie Container with Human Sacrifice SceneA Dian sacrifice frozen in bronzeYunnan Provincial MuseumTE10098Western Han dynasty · Censers & Other MetalworkCowrie Container with Oath-taking SceneA Dian oath sworn by over a hundred figuresNational Museum of ChinaTE10102Late Shang dynasty · Bronze Figures & SculptureBronze Human MaskA bronze face from three thousand years agoInstitute of History and Philology, Academia SinicaTE10646Northern Wei dynasty · Pictorial Stones & BricksEmperor Xiaowen and His Entourage Worshipping the BuddhaAn imperial procession that left LongmenMetropolitan Museum of ArtTE10656Northern Wei dynasty · Pictorial Stones & BricksOffering Procession of the Empress as Donor with Her CourtAn empress's procession rebuilt from fragmentsNelson-Atkins Museum of ArtTE10657Tang dynasty · Tomb & Monumental StoneQuanmaogua, One of the Six Steeds of ZhaolingThe warhorse that carried nine arrowsPenn MuseumTE10664Tang dynasty · Tomb & Monumental StoneSaluzi, One of the Six Steeds of ZhaolingQiu Xinggong draws the arrowPenn MuseumTE10665

Implements

5 treasures
Qin dynasty · Bronze Figures & SculptureBronze Chariots and Horses of Qin Shihuang's MausoleumCarriages for the First Emperor's journeys in the afterlifeEmperor Qinshihuang's Mausoleum Site MuseumTE10054Early Warring States period · Musical InstrumentsBianzhong Bells of Marquis Yi of ZengA bronze orchestra from over 2,400 years agoHubei Provincial MuseumTE10062Late Shang dynasty · Weapons & ArmourDagger-axe with Jade Blade and Bronze TangA Shang ceremonial weapon of jade and bronzeInstitute of History and Philology, Academia SinicaTE10678Late Western Zhou · Musical InstrumentsZongzhou BellA bell cast by a Zhou king himselfNational Palace MuseumTE10681Late Western Zhou · Musical InstrumentsBells of Marquis Su of JinA set of bells divided between two museumsShanghai MuseumTE10682

Types by dynasty

Where this canon's treasures fall by type and dynasty; click an ink dot to open that dynasty at that type.

Vessels of Rite and Virtue · Types by dynasty
XiaShangZhouQinHanThree KingdomsNorthern and SouthernTangFive Dynasties and Ten KingdomsSongYuanMingQing
Metalwork47
Jades16
Ceramics4
Brushwork57
Books20
Furniture4
Textiles3
Sculpture11
Implements5
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