Full Rubbing of the Mao Gong Ding

Also known as the Duke of Mao tripod, this bronze cauldron was cast by Duke Yin of Mao in the Zhou dynasty and unearthed in the late Qing dynasty during the Daoguang reign (1820-1850) at Qishan (modern Qishan County) in Shaanxi. The inscription of 499 characters on the bronze records the Duke of Mao's important contributions to state governance at the time. The writing is a classic example of so-called "metal script" (referring to inscriptions on bronze cauldrons or bells). The style is precise and the lines refined. The characters are narrow but the spacing even, having a simple and archaic manner.
A "full rubbing" is a kind of ink rubbing technique complemented by the arts of line drawing, painting, and paper cutting. In it, the original form of the vessel is transferred to the two-dimensional surface of paper. Mr. Yeh Kung-shao donated this rubbing to the National Palace Museum.