DUI VESSEL
Period: Possibly Warring States period to Han dynasty.Medium: Nephrite jade.
Colour: Pale green.
Dimensions: H. 15.5 cm.; W. 17.5; Dia. 13 cm.
The dui or tui is a vessel made up of two bowls which each stands on legs and can be used separately. In this case the legs are in the form of dragons, different on the top and bottom sections.
Viewing the vessel as a whole, each quadrant has a taoti or zoomorphic mask, with horns above. The areas around the horns are finely decorated with a thundercloud pattern of spirals, visible in the picture below.
In the top section the mask is followed by a ribbed band which tightens towards a medallion composed of four stylized dragons.
The last two pictures show the finely carved animals which define the quandrants and serve to support the top and bottom when used individually.
The bronze dui pictured below is from the Warring States period. It was found in Banjiugang, Zigui County, Hubei Province, and is in the Hubei Provincial Museum.
