National Palace Museum

In China, the use of bronze casting was recorded as early as the late Xia dynasty. The use of bronzes by the Chinese differs from other civilizations and it led to the subsequent development of rites and music. Bronzes, which came in all shapes and forms and served different purposes, changed over time. Because bronzes were strong and not easily damaged, they became the vessel for writing inscriptions and recording the golden age of ancient Chinese civilization. This book, which is themed on the Bronze Age and uses the knowledge of ancient bronze development as well as the artifacts housed in the collection of the National Palace Museum, covers periods including the early Shang dynasty, the Warring States period of the Eastern Zhou dynasty, the Qin dynasty, and the Han dynasty. This book is divided into eight chapters and depicts the development of the bronze civilization using “era” as the main divider and “purpose of the bronze” as the sub-divider. The development history of bronzes is carefully explained by the editor, who describes and analyzes the various bronze shapes, patterns, and inscriptions. Included in the appendix are the "Classification and Title (of Bronzes)," the "Evolution of Forms," and "Decorative Patterns." As readers peruse through the detailed and powerful descriptions of the different bronze shapes, gorgeous and elegant bronze patterns, unique bronze inscriptions, they will be able to feel the charm of bronze civilization as well as its significance on Chinese culture, artifacts, written articles, and Chinese characters.