Time to check out some of China's most valuable ancient treasures. Today in our special series "If Treasures Could Talk", it's Queen Mother Wu's Ding. Dings were large cauldrons that were symbols of power in ancient times. A particularly impressive example is Queen Mother Wu's Ding. The bronze ritual vessel dates from the height of the Shang Dynasty, nearly four thousand years ago.

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Queen Mother Wu's Ding: An object of national importance

Three thousand nine hundred years ago, when the Shang dynasty was at its height, a massive bronze vessel was forged. From mining and smelting the ore, transporting it, and creating the alloy, to the casting, decoration and final moulding, making it must have been a long and arduous process.

Queen Mother Wu's Ding

Collection: National Museum of China

Period: Shang Dynasty

An inscription on its interior identifies the ding as being dedicated to Houmuwu – Queen Mother Wu. This huge bronze vessel weighs over 830 kilos. Creating it would have required a large team of experienced craftsmen, more than a ton of metal, and an enormous furnace. Various experts who have analyzed the marks left by the mould, have arrived at a number of theories as to how the ding was made.

Some believe it was cast in parts. Others say the body was created in a mould, with only the handles added later. If this were the case, careful control over the cooling process would have been needed, as the different parts vary in thickness. We can only speculate over how many attempts were made, before success was achieved. Such bronze utensils were being made in China before the rise of Rome in Europe and Sumer in Mesopotamia. During the Shang dynasty, rituals and warfare were the main affairs of State. Bronze was important, as it was used in making both weapons and sacrificial vessels.

Most experts believe that Houmuwu refers to King Wu Ding's queen, Fu Jing. They point to the fact that the grave of another of his wives, Fu Hao, contains a very similar ding, inscribed with 'Queen Mother Xing'. Oracle bone inscriptions tell us that the two queens actively participated in the affairs of State. Fu Hao was noted for her military prowess. Fu Jing was associated with agriculture. This could mean that Fu Jing oversaw major agriculture-related rituals.

The Dahe ding is another Shang era artifact. The faces on it look female. The 'he' in the name is a reference to grain.

To the ancient Chinese, the earth was square and heaven, round. The earth was also female, and the mother of all things. This leads us to the conclusion that square dings may have been used by high-ranking female priests in offering sacrifices to the earth.

A ding, planted firmly on its four legs, was synonymous with stability.

With time, dings became symbols of state power. Still today, the character for 'ding' appears in many Chinese words describing something that is solemn and dignified.

The biggest of them all, Queen Mother Wu's ding, has become an object of national importance, exuding an aura of ancient power and glory.