Cooking vessel, Western Zhou Dynasty
Height: 21.3cm
Mouth: 17.4 * 13.3cm

This cooking vessel has a rectangular body with two thick upright handles. Its vertical wall tapers slightly inwards. The decorative patterns on the belly and four feet are animal mask designs. Thirty-four characters in five columns are inscribed inside the wall which notes that Hou Chuo was awarded with this Ding in the years of the reign of King Chen of Western Zhou. Publication in the Song Dynasty had already mentioned about this exquisite Ding, so it must be excavated before Song. It is really a miracle that this Ding is well preserved all through the years.