590 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1914, 
DETERMINATION OF INSCRIPTIONS. 
Inscriptions are of two different kinds, k’uan and chi. What is 
ealled chuan (seal characters, ornamental writing) is for the com- 
memoration of merit. This writing is on bells and tripods. K’uan 
is in intaglio, and such writing durimg the three dynasties was con- 
sidered stylish. The characters were sunk into the metal.. From 
the time of the Han dynasty, the chi in relief was used, with occasional 
use, also, of sunken characters incised by the use of tools in the same 
manner as if on stone tablets. Sunken chi were difficult to cast, but 
relief chi were easy, and thus it can be easily detected that they did 
not long belong to the period of the three dynasties. The k’uan of 
ancient vessels were on the inside and sunken. The chi were on the 
outside and were in relief. Vessels of the Hsia and Chow dynasties 
had either chi or k’uan, while those of the Shang dynasty usually had 
chi, but no k’uan. The ancients showed great care in their work. 
Artisans were classed by them as among the four estates of the people, 
and were not looked down upon as in later degenerate days. 
Tn casting vessels the ancients used wax for their models or patterns, 
and the lines were thin, like hairs—even, regular, and distinct. The 
characters of chi were rounding like the surface of inverted tiles. 
They were not deep or bold, and both large and small characters had 
the same depth. They were clear and distinct, without any blurs. 
Such castings of carefully chosen bronze were excellent. They had 
three characteristics: First, they had no marks of sand granules; 
second, the workmanship was wonderful, and third, there was no 
sparing of labor. They were not made overnight. If ancient ves- 
sels are now found with the k’uan and chi blurred and distorted and 
cast in an irregular mold, these are the work of amateurs or imitators. 
The quality of the metal, its color and odor, are not the same as of 
good vessels. 
EXAMINATION AS TO AGE NOT SOLELY DEPENDENT UPON K’UAN 
: AND CHI. 
The ancients used sacrificial vessels, such as bells and tripods, for 
the praise of meritorious and worthy deeds, and hence made inscrip- 
tions on them. Inscriptions were put on platters and bowls when 
they were used in preparation for sacrifices, but when used for 
domestic purposes inscriptions were often lacking, and such fact can 
not be used as a proof of their being counterfeits. In such cases the 
style of the inscription, the quality, color, and odor of the metal must 
decide. 
VESSELS OF THE THREE DYNASTIES. 
The Hsia dynasty was noted for reliability, the Shang for quality, 
and the Chow for display; and the bronze vessels of these dynasties 
have the same respective differences. Vessels of the Shang dynasty 
ee et. ee ee 
Se ee ee 
