Shang and Zhou Dynasties discovered bronze sculpture

China's long history of using copper. About six or seven years ago our ancestors discovered and began to use copper. 1973 Shaanxi Lintong Jiangzhai site has been unearthed a semi-circular residual copper, was identified as brass. 1975 Gansu Dongxiang Lin Majiayao cultural sites (about 3000 BC or so) unearthed a bronze knife, this is the earliest found in china bronze sculpture, is proof of China's entry into the Bronze Age. Relative to West Asia, South Asia and North Africa dating back about 6500 years ago in the Bronze Age has entered, the late arrival of Bronze Age China, but they can not deny that it is independent of origin, because China has a bronze and stone and with age, years dating back about 5500, "4500 years of China on the basis of the invention bronze, bronze sculpture with the world the same development model, which can be ruled out by the chinese bronze sculpture is transmitted from the outside, said.

"Affairs of state, in the worship and military matters." For the pre-Qin China Central States, the biggest thing is the ritual and external war. As a representative of the most advanced metal smelting, bronze casting technology, is mainly used in the rites and ceremonies and war. Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties discovered bronze sculpture, its function (use) are ceremonial objects and weapons as well as ancillary equipment around the two, which is the world bronze sculpture with a difference, formed with Chinese traditional characteristics of china bronze sculpture cultural system.

General culture of the Chinese bronze sculpture is divided into three stages of development, namely, formation, and changes in peak period. Formation refers to the Longshan era, 4500 to 4000 years ago; peak age period of the Chinese bronze sculpture, including the times the Xia, Shang, Western Zhou Dynasty, Spring and Autumn and early Warring States period, some 1,600 years duration, which is the traditional Chinese system bronze sculpture cultural era; transition period refers to the late Warring States - Qin and Han Dynasty, bronze sculpture has been gradually replaced by iron, not only greatly reduced numbers, but also from weapons and the use of ritual worship in the ritual, war turned into daily activities and so on important occasions appliances, and its corresponding device other types, structural features, decorative arts has also undergone a transition of change.