A Study About Bronze Daggers Decorated On Animal Style Of Southern And Northern Of Yanshan Mountain In Shang And Zhou Dynasty

The objects that this paper would discuss are animal style daggers in southernand northern Yan Mountain. This study is not only concerned with the phasedcharacteristics and regional characteristics of animal style daggers, but also discussesthe crowd characteristics and social backgrounds behind the animal style by a sort andcontrast analysis.According to the research in this paper, animal style daggers in southern andnorthern Yan Mountain are mainly distributed in three regions--The northern footregion of the Yan mountain, centered at Ningcheng (eastern area); Yan Mountain area,centered at Chengde and Luanping(central area)and southern foot region of the YanMountain, centered Huailai and Yanqing(western area). Its development can bedivided into four stages:the initial phase,the developmental phase, the flourishingperiod and the declining period.The initial phase is from the middle of the late Shangdynasty to the early western Zhou dynasty; the developmental phase starts from thelate western Zhou dynasty to the early spring and autumn period; the flourishingphase is from the mid to the late spring and autumn period and the declining phase isafter the early warring states period.A less number of animal style daggers were found in the initial phase.Theemergence and popular areas of animal style daggers are among the middle region andthe western region which are close to central China. It illustrates that the emergence ofanimal style daggers in southern and northern Yan Mountain probably closely relatedto the effect of Shang culture.The amount and kind of animal style slightly increased during the developmentalphase.The tiger style decoration appeared for the very first time and rows of animalstyle were prosperous at that time.What’s more, checked daggers appeared. Upper Xiajiadian culture of eastern region was the most developed culture during this period.The flourishing period is the development noontide of animal style daggers insouthern and northern Yan Mountain. Standing beasts style and rows of animal styleof last phase still existed in this period,besides, cavel style developed most and bothof the checked daggers and double loop serpentine style were popular during thisphase. Bronze metallurgy casting technology of Yuhuangmiao Culture created thebooming period of animal style daggers in southern and northern Yan Mountain.During the declining phase, animal style daggers in southern and northern YanMountain hardly could be seen which was mainly due to the sudden declination of theYuhuangmiao Culture and the expansion of the Central Plain Culture.In the view of the northern China and the Eurasian steppe, the regionalcharacteristics of animal daggers in southern and northern Yan Mountain are asbellow:Firstly, in Shang dynasty,the animal daggers have been popular in southern andnorthern Yan Mountain where was one of the important cradle of animal style amonggrassland region.Secondly, southern and northern Yan Mountain area was the first palce at wheretiger style decoration appeared since late Western Zhou dynasty.Thirdly, people in this area had a close contact with people in southern part ofcentral plain area. The reason why checked daggers with beast-face style prevalentand why dragon patterns and snake style possessed a definite proportion at that timemaybe had some relationship with the influence of central plain culture.Fourthly, among the whole northern part of China, animal style daggers insouthern and northern Yan mountain has the largest number and most abundantspecies. Most of the style associated with the sheep and it may certifies that sheepplayed a vital role in people’s life in southern and northern Yanshan mountainAt the last，regional characteristic is lack of a supernatural god beast style amongsouthern and northern Yan mountain area.Animal style decorations were popular in Eurasia steppe region. To people live in thegrassland, in addition to decorative function, these style also reflected the profound social background and ideology. Whether it is a totem Animal worship or protector,shows the prairie people’s special emotion about animal style decoration. SinceHeroism and bravery is the prairie people’s favorite virtue, the warriors class alwaysdecorated their daggers with a lot of animal style by which they hope to be protectedand to increase confidence during the war. It also expressed their admiration to thesuper power of animal and their desire of having more advanced power.