Bronze Culture Research

The bronze is regarded as a great invention in the history of mankind, and it is a great opportunity of civilization development for humankind. The invention and application of the bronze mark that the mankind enter Bronze Age from the Neolithic Age. The development of Chinese bronze ware culture starts in Longshan era,and it reach great prosperity period in early Xia , Shang, Zhou Dynasty , Spring&Autumn Dynasty and the Warring States, namely Bronze Age. The bronze ware is replaced by the ironware progressively after latter stage in the Warring States, withdraws from the historical stage. China Bronze Age develop and grow highly prosperously from late Shang Dynasty to initial stages of Zhou Dynasty, reached the summit . The foundry and application of Bronze ware in Shang Dynasty not only reflect ancient traditional creation ideology and aesthstic idea,but also the spiritual culture and system culture of people in Shang dynasty .Its have mystical power and terrible configuration of art.Shang dynasty is the advanced stage of implement culture before the letter culture are popularized . We can't belong Shang dynasty with category of the history of art&craft or substance culture unilaterally , but use the vision of cultural philosophy to survey it. So it is not overall and systematic using single traditional subject to research bronze ware of Shang dynasty. Considering the reason above, this thesis tries to survey bronze culture of Shang dynasty renewedly, which proceed from the comprehensive and interdisciplinary theory of west modern Semiology. Mostly analyze the symbol meaning and communication of decorative veins and sculpt, along with the relation between bronze art and other plastic arts.According to the method and thinking of the studying, the full text is divided into seven chapters altogether.Chapter one summarize the bronze culture of Shang dynasty , and explained the meaning , method and approach of this subject research;Chapter two introduce the modern Semiology theory, then proceed from the concept and forming of the symbol, to explain the symbol characteristic of bronze arts in Shang dynasty;It is the subject part of the thesis from chapter three to chapter six, this part analyze the symbol meaning, communication and aesthetic of bronze art ofShang dynasty, with the theoretical system of Semiology, and analyze its culture characteristic ,which happenned in different regions. Then compared the bronze art of Shang dynasty with primitive art , calligraphy&painting art and sculpture art, and combed their relation in historical development;Chapter seven analyze the realistic meaning of bronze art of Shang dynasty, and extend to modern design field , expound the importance of experience ability for plastic arts in modern art&design. In this chapter finally, introduce the concept of product Semantics, and carry on relevant thinking combined with bronze art of Shang dynasty.