The boy Ji's father Fang Yan

Xiaozi Jifu Square Tripod, bronze ware, Western Zhou Dynasty, total height 45.8 cm; the long side of the steamer mouth is 29.4, the short side is 25, the steamer height is 25.8, and the belly depth is 19 cm; the tripod height is 20, and the belly depth is 13 cm; weight 11.5 kg. It was unearthed from Tomb 2001 of the Guo State Cemetery in Sanmenxia, ​​Henan Province in 1990.

Xiaozi Jifu Square Tripod is a split structure of upper steamer and lower tripod, which is made of mortise and tenon joints. The steamer mouth is rectangular, open, rolled edge, oblique square lip, with a pair of vertical ears on both sides of the mouth edge, straight wall sloping down, ten "one"-shaped and one "cross"-shaped grating holes distributed on the flat bottom of the steamer, and rectangular sub-mouths are cast around the bottom of the steamer, which can be put into the mother mouth (i.e. groove) of the tripod. (Figure 1, Figure 2) The square li has an inward-facing mouth, a groove on the flat folded edge, a pair of ears on both sides, and a small crossbeam between the ears and the rim. The belly cavity is slightly bulging, divided into four equal parts, with a crotch, four hoof feet, and a flat surface on the inside of each foot. The lower edge of the li is decorated with a circle of C-shaped eyeless curved patterns, and the belly wall is decorated with a circle of wave-shaped curved patterns. The belly of the li is decorated with four groups of simple elephant face patterns, each group of patterns consists of two basically symmetrical square-shaped raised elephant eyes and a li foot that slightly resembles an elephant's long trunk. (Figure 3, Figure 4) A vertical inscription is cast on one side of the inner wall of the belly, with three lines of eighteen characters (the fourth and fifth characters "小子" are combined characters). Due to deliberate wear and tear, most of the characters are blurred. [1] According to the remaining strokes, the following characters are still vaguely discernible, from left to right:

Figure 1 Side view of Xiaozi Jifu Square Cauldron

Figure 2 Partial view of Xiaozi Jifu Square Cauldron

Figure 3 Line drawing of Xiaozi Jifu Square Cauldron

Figure 4 Front and side pattern rubbings of Xiaozi Jifu Square Cauldron

Bronze cauldron is one of the main bronze cooking utensils in the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and it occupies a relatively important position in bronze ritual vessels. Xiaozi Jifu Square Cauldron was unearthed at a clear site and is well preserved, which provides help for exploring the status and role of bronze cauldrons in the combination of ritual vessels, has certain significance for studying the bronze ritual system of Guo State in the Western Zhou Dynasty, and also provides a physical basis for studying the food culture at that time.