24.2 cm (height) × 18.0 cm (mouth diameter)
Bronze vessels from the Shang and Zhou dynasties that bear inscriptions hold significant historical value, and those inscribed with a Zhou king’s reign title are particularly valuable as they provide precise dating. This Ding Cauldron of Marquis of Xian bears an inscription mentioning King Cheng of Zhou, confirming its historical timeframe. Additionally, it was recorded in Xiqing Xujian Yibian, an illustrated catalog of bronze artifacts compiled during the Qianlong era, making it a renowned vessel passed down through generations.
This ding features a large mouth, upright handles, a divided body, and columnar legs. The body is adorned with large, curled-horn beast-face motifs, while the legs feature cicada patterns—both typical designs of early Western Zhou liding (a type of ding). Compared with the standard liding, this one has a deeper belly. The interior wall bears a four-line, 21-character inscription: “During the grand ceremony held by King Cheng in Zongzhou, he bestowed shells upon the Marquis of Xian, who then cast this vessel in honor of the Marquis of Ding.”
The maker of this vessel, Marquis of Xian, marked the end of the inscription with the special symbol “ ,” which is closely related to the Xian clan from the late Shang dynasty, as evidenced by tomb inscriptions found in Jiuwutou, Wenxi, Shanxi Province. Additionally, the name “Marquis of Ding” appears on Chi Ding, an early Western Zhou vessel housed in the National Palace Museum. The inscription on the Chi Ding also ends with a clan emblem “ .” Since both Chi and the Marquis of Xian made vessels for the Marquis of Ding, and that their artifacts date to the same period, it is likely that the two were of the same generation within the same clan. Although another Ding Cauldron of Marquis of Xian once existed, it has since been lost. This particular vessel, bearing significant names and clan emblems, thus holds exceptional historical importance.