With a body resembling a foal but adorned with a pair of horns and a set of small wings on its belly, this bronze zun, a ritual wine vessel, has always enchanted visitors to the Chinese Archaeological Museum in Beijing with its adorable appearance and profound historical significance.
The vessel represents the pinnacle of craftsmanship from the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC-771 BC). It has a curl-tailed tiger on top of its head, a phoenix on its back and two curl-tailed dragons on its chest and hip, with intricate and elaborate dragon, tiger and spiral patterns adorning the entire vessel.
Within its belly, there is a six-character inscription indicating it was a type of dowry from the State of Deng and was used during political marriages in the Western Zhou period, making it a testament to the ritualistic and political practices of its time.