A gu is a type of ancient Chinese ritual bronze vessel from the Shang and Zhou dynasties (1600–256 BC). It was used to drink wine or to offer ritual libations. A gu is tall and slender, with a slightly flared base that tapers to a slim center section before widening again into a trumpet-like mouth, wider than the base.

gu, type of Chinese vessel, it was a tall wine beaker with a trumpet-shaped top, a restricted centre section, and a slightly flared base; the whole silhouette was unusually taut and graceful. Decoration found on the gu includes snakes, cicadas, the taotie, or monster mask, and the gui, or dragonlike monster with curled tail and gaping jaw.

Bronze alcohol vessel in the shape known as 'gu'. Decorated with taotie designs and inscription inside foot.

Mar 3, 2025 · A gu is a type of vessel that is taller than it is wide, with a mouth that flares outward and narrows through the body, before flaring out at the foot once more. Before the theft in 1990, specialists studied the Gardner Museum’s gu and dated it to the Shang Dynasty (around 1600–1050 BCE).

Dec 8, 2022 · This is an image of a Shang dynasty (1600 - 1050 BCE) 'Gu' bronze vessel from The British Museum in London. This bronze vessel is a ritual wine vessel used to hold and pour wine and alcohol during celebrations to honor the ancestors.

On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 207. This elaborate set of wine vessels provides an idea of the splendor of Shang and early Zhou ritual ceremonies.

Jan 25, 2024 · Gu, a Chinese character rich in ancient charm, represents a special vessel in ancient China. It served both as a container for drinking alcohol and as a dignified ceremonial object. Its existence not only witnessed the lives of ancient people but also symbolized the etiquette-oriented nature of Chinese civilization.

The gu is a Shang dynasty ritual vessel cast in bronze. Scholars believe the Shang elite used these bronze vessels during rituals to make offerings to ancestors. One of the oldest works in Isabella Stewart Gardner’s collection, this work was stolen from the museum in the 1990 theft.

Gu is a drinking vessel. This piece is exquisitely shaped and beautifully decorated, indicating extremely high casting technology and design level. The openwork carving at the ring foot is quite uncommon among Gu wares. The vessel is a treasure in bronze Gu of the Shang dynasty.

English: A gu is a chinese bronze goblet used to drink wine, from the Shang, and Zhou dynasties. Its surface is often decorated with taotie . Français : Un gu est un gobelet en bronze chinois servant à boire du vin dans les dynasties Shang et Zhou .