Held in conjunction with the exhibition Eternal Offerings: Chinese Ritual Bronzes from the Minneapolis Institute of Art at China Institute Gallery, this one-day symposium brings together leading scholars in art history and archaeology to explore the ceremonial and political dimensions of bronze in the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Through several presentations, speakers will examine how bronze vessels and images were not only crafted as material objects but also forged as instruments of sacred authority, ancestral communication, and social hierarchy. Topics will include the symbolic language of bronze iconography, the role of bronze in royal legitimation, and new insights from recent archaeological discoveries. Together, these perspectives shed light on how bronze shaped early Chinese ritual practice, political culture, and systems of meaning. The symposium invites scholars, students, and the public to reflect on the enduring legacy of one of ancient China’s most powerful ceremonial technologies.
Featured Speakers:
Dr. Yung-ti Li (The University of Chicago, Associate Professor, East Asian Language and Civilizations)
Dr. Yang Liu (Minneapolis Institute of Art, Chair of Asian Art & Curator of Chinese Art)
Dr. Edward L. Shaughnessy (The University of Chicago, Lorraine J. and Herrlee G. Creel Distinguished Service Professor of Early China, Department of East Asian Languages and Civilizations)
Dr. Yan Sun (Gettysburg College, Professor of Art History)
Dr. Eugene Wang (Harvard University, Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Professor of Asian Art and Founding Director of Harvard FAS CAMLab, Dept of History of Art and Architecture)
Organizer – Dr. Yang Liu and Tracy Jiao, China Institute Gallery Manager
Hosted by China Institute Gallery
Breakfast and an afternoon reception will be provided. The program includes complimentary admission to the exhibition.
For more information, please contact Tracy Jiao at [email protected].
