Recasting the Past

Bronze vessels were the ultimate emblems of power in ancient China. Beginning in the twelfth century, the rediscovery of ancient bronzes as evidence of an earlier golden age led to a revival of bronze casting. This publication is the first comprehensive study of these later Chinese bronzes in archaic styles, which were commissioned by emperors and officials from the twelfth through the nineteenth centuries to assert political legitimacy and alignment with traditional values. Redressing the misconception that these works were mere imitations of the ancient vessels they emulated, Recasting the Past demonstrates that they were in fact creative reinterpretations of antique shapes and decorative motifs that were fundamentally new creations with their own aesthetic and functional character. Featuring nearly two hundred objects, many never before published—including ceremonial bells, incense burners, flower vases, ritual vessels, and writing utensils—Pengliang Lu explores their cultural and political significance from the Song dynasty through the Qing dynasty and shows their enormous influence on Chinese art and culture.