The most "bold" combination of ancient Chinese ritual vessels: Nine Dings and Eight Gui

"During the Western Zhou Dynasty in ancient China, a set of strict hierarchical ritual and music system was established, and people had to strictly follow the regulations in their food, clothing, housing and transportation." Recently, in the exhibition hall of the Henan Museum, tour guide Guo Qian introduced the "Nine Dings and Eight Gui" to the audience and said that during this period, the bronze vessels used by kings and nobles in sacrifices, ceremonies, funerals, conquests, banquets and other rituals were called bronze ritual vessels.

"Gui is usually used with Ding, which is considered as an ancient Chinese ritual CP. Ding is used to put meat, and Gui is used to put grains and food, which means 'combining meat and vegetables'." Guo Qian said with a smile. The system of Ding is a manifestation of the strict hierarchy of the nobility established in the Western Zhou Dynasty. The number of Ding used in rituals such as sacrifices, ceremonies, and funerals is divided into five levels according to the status of the nobility: the emperor has nine Dings and eight Gui, the princes have seven Dings and six Gui, the officials have five Dings and four Gui, the ministers have three Dings and two Gui, and the low-ranking scholars have one Ding, which decreases in order and cannot be exceeded. This is "hiding rituals in vessels". The Western Zhou Dynasty "made rituals and music", and the "ritual and music system" gradually became the ideological criteria and behavioral norms of the Chinese people. This is also the reason why the Chinese nation calls itself "the country of rituals and music".

The legend of the Nine Tripods has a long history in China and is a symbol of state power. However, in the Spring and Autumn Period, the royal family declined, rituals and music were broken, and the princes and ministers broke free from the shackles of traditional rituals, and usurpation became increasingly common. This has also been confirmed by archaeological discoveries across the country in recent years. The "Nine Tripods and Eight Gui" were often found in the tombs of princes during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. For example, the "Nine Tripods and Eight Gui" were unearthed from the Tomb of Zeng Hou Yi. Similarly, the set of "Nine Tripods and Eight Gui" exhibited in the Henan Museum was unearthed in 1996 from the ruins of the Zhenghan Ancient City in Xinzheng, and it came from the vassal state of Zheng during the Spring and Autumn Period. It is worth mentioning that five sets of the same series of Nine Tripods ritual vessels have been unearthed in the Zhenghan Ancient City, which fully illustrates the reality of the collapse of rituals and music at that time.

Ma Xiaolin, director of the Henan Museum, said that the shape of this set of nine tripods and eight gui has changed the past majestic and solemn artistic style, and has become more beautiful and light, and the patterns have also changed from the past unrestrained rough patterns to neat fine patterns. Like the coiled snake patterns on these bronze tripods, two or more snake dragons are intertwined, repeatedly penetrating and circling, vividly and delicately attached to the surface of the objects, with a very gorgeous and elaborate artistic effect, representing the new trend of this era. The discovery of this set of nine tripods and eight gui and related ritual instruments and instruments fills the gap in the form of the Zhou Dynasty's community sacrifice ritual system, and is of great significance for studying the ritual norms of sacrifice and social changes at that time.

Today, these ancient ritual vessels stand quietly in the exhibition hall, telling the memory of civilization spanning thousands of years.