4·The Bronze Age 69 Bronze pieces from the Shang period are richly decorated by re- lief patterns depicting animals such as elephants,water buffalos, tigers,mythical dragons,and others.The Chinese were masters of a cast technology (Plate 4.3).They utilized fired clay molds in which the patterns were carved.No subsequent metalworking such as hammering,etc.,was used.An example of their skills is a large cauldron on four legs which weighs 875 kg and whose body was cast in one piece.(It was unearthed near Anyang in 1939 and then utilized by villagers for storing pig food.) Another astounding recent find is a set of bronze bells which were discovered in a tomb for the Marqui Yi,dated 433 B.C.(Fig. 4.2).They were shaped in a manner that,when hit with a ham- mer at the center,produced a lower pitch than on the edge.Mod- ern scholars believe that the two sounds reflected the Chinese concept of a universe that is governed by two opposing,yet har- monious,forces called Yin and Yang (such as day and night, heaven and earth,sun and moon).The two-tone bells are said to have demonstrated how two forces can interact in harmony.Mu- FIGURE 4.2.Chinese two-tone bell made of bronze.Eastern Zhou dy- nasty,6th century B.C.Unearthed in 1978 at Sui Xian,Hubei Province.An entire set of those bells is called“Bian Zhong”. Arthur M.Sackler Gallery,Smith- sonian Institution,Washington, DC.Gift of Arthur M.Sackler S1987.285.Bronze pieces from the Shang period are richly decorated by re￾lief patterns depicting animals such as elephants, water buffalos, tigers, mythical dragons, and others. The Chinese were masters of a cast technology (Plate 4.3). They utilized fired clay molds in which the patterns were carved. No subsequent metalworking such as hammering, etc., was used. An example of their skills is a large cauldron on four legs which weighs 875 kg and whose body was cast in one piece. (It was unearthed near Anyang in 1939 and then utilized by villagers for storing pig food.) Another astounding recent find is a set of bronze bells which were discovered in a tomb for the Marqui Yi, dated 433 B.C. (Fig. 4.2). They were shaped in a manner that, when hit with a ham￾mer at the center, produced a lower pitch than on the edge. Mod￾ern scholars believe that the two sounds reflected the Chinese concept of a universe that is governed by two opposing, yet har￾monious, forces called Yin and Yang (such as day and night, heaven and earth, sun and moon). The two-tone bells are said to have demonstrated how two forces can interact in harmony. Mu- 4 • The Bronze Age 69 FIGURE 4.2. Chinese two-tone bell made of bronze. Eastern Zhou dy￾nasty, 6th century B.C. Unearthed in 1978 at Sui Xian, Hubei Province. An entire set of those bells is called “Bian Zhong”. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smith￾sonian Institution, Washington, DC. Gift of Arthur M. Sackler S1987.285