Flattened vessel (hu) with animal-head handles

Banded at the foot-rim and lip by squared scroll, this vessel based on the Bronze Age hu is decorated with seven bands of low-relief carving, four of which are on leiwen ground. These include pendant lotus petals, confronting kui dragons, taotie composed of cloud scrolls, a sunburst pattern, and scrolling lingzhi fungi. Dragon's head handles flank the neck. The level of work on this piece is very high, and it has a very fine polish, indicative of an early-twentieth-century date.