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IAncient Chinese bronzes are celebrated for their wide variety and fine craftsmanship. They stand to world fame for their unique style and tradition and claim an important place in the history of fine art. Recent archaeological findings show that Chinese bronze culture started as early as 3,000 B.C. Early works are not large pieces but already with exquisite decor, showing the sense of beauty developed at the time. Bronzes'of Erlitou culture,approximately corresponding to the time of Xia. acquired considerable complexity both in form and decor. Bronze technology reached its maturity in early Shang, capable of producing large objects as well as complete sets of several pieces. By late Shang, bronze development gained further impetus, developing more types and shapes and decorative patterns, thus reaching the first peak in the history of bronze development. Western Zhou bronzes constitute a further advance on the basis of achievements made in Shang. A simple style replaced the earlier baroque style, a reflection of the social and cultural change. Long inscriptions on Western Zhou bronzes are highly valued not only as important historical documents but also as fine examples of Chinese calligraphy.
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