Bronze Wine Pots on a Jin - Part

Jin was usually used to contain wine vessels. The most archaic Jin that ever discovered was made in early West Zhou Dynasty. This Jin was found in Zeng Hou Yi (The Marquis of the Zeng Kingdon)’s mausoleum. It contains two giant wine pots.

The pots are covered in empaistic hornless dragons and their handles are also in the shape of dragons. The top of the pots are hollowed out. In side the pots there are inscription of “Zeng Hou Yi Zuo Chi Yong Zhong”(Had made by the Marquis of Yi).

The the pots and the Jin altogether weigh more than 240 kg, held up by merely the four animal shaped legs at the bottom of the Jin. The position of these legs was accurately designed to keep the set of the vessels stable. Physics and aesthetics reach an impressive balance in this piece of artifact.