Date: Early Spring and Autumn period (770–first half of the 7th century BCE)

Dimensions: Height 24.7 cm, Length 48.1 cm

Weight: 3,420 g
Material: Bronze
Gift of Shen Tongyue, Gu Liu, Gu Fo, Gu Duzhang, Gu Duxuan, and Gu Duqiu, 1951

• Object Type：
  • BRONZE
• Location：
  • Ancient Chinese Bronze Gallery
• Tag：
  • yi water vessel marquis qi western zhou bronze

Yi is a water container, often used together with Pan. Dragons represent water, so water containers or washing vessels are often decorated with dragons and aquatic animals. The decoration and styling of this Yi was typical in the late Western Zhou. But it is larger than its kind of the Western Zhou found so far, reflecting the noble status of its owner. 
Four lines of inscriptions in 22 words were inscribed on the inner base of the Yi, indicating that it was a gift made for the first daughter of his wife Guojun by Marquis Qi. For political positions and protections of interests, the vassals of the Western Zhou often allied with each other. The Yi of Marquis Qi was a wedding gift to maintain the alliance.

【Special Exhibition】 Harvest from Generosity: Gifts for the Shanghai Museum