ZHOU PERIOD - (1100-256BC)
The Shang Dynasty, having lasted 662 years was overturned by a terribly understaffed army. The Zhou army only had 45,000 troops, while the defeated Shang army numbered over 70,000. The next 900 years, until the Han Dynasty, was one of constant rivalries and battles. Each period overthrowing the prior one and, by doing so, establishing new leaders and often relocating the capital itself.
Each of these periods made tremendous steps not only in their artistic approach to design, but made huge advances in the science of making pots, tools, and weapons as well. The artistry, the figurines, the sculptures, and the jade carvings, all became more expressive and more ornate during these periods. Green and blue glazes, Green ware, ceramics typified by gray painted ware and black ware, all became popular during these periods. The designs which were most predominant during each of these periods were quite lovely and are still greatly admired today.
In 1122, after a victorious 12?year battle against the Shangs, the Chou Dynasty began. After 662 years of rule, the Shang Dynasty was never to be seen again. Initially, the only real change between the Shang and Chou Dynasties was in their rulers and how they ruled. The Chou was the first to call their leader King instead of Emperor, where this term remained until the Ch’in rulers restored the name of Emperor.
In 771 BC, the then Chou capital of Hao-Ching was overthrown by Chu’uan-jung. The King of the Chou was killed and the capital was then moved eastward to Loyang. Historians later called this period of 350 years, where they moved the capital eastwards by the King, the Western Chou Period and the remainder of the Chou Dynasty onwards as the Eastern Chou Period.
As mentioned earlier, there were little differences between the early Western Chou pieces of pottery and those found in the Shang style earlier. There were three main uses and types of pottery found then; namely, utilitarian pottery, architectural ceramics, and the primitive Green ware earlier mentioned. The few variations were animal?shaped pieces of pottery but, as mentioned earlier, they have rarely been found by the archeologist’s digs.
When thinking about the Shang Period artistically, the study of Shawn bronzes are always the first subject mentioned. So much attention was spent on the advancement of the bronzes during this period that pottery ceased to be manufactured during this period as much as periods which preceded this one. The greatest contribution from this period in the field of pottery came from the development of primitive Green ware. Many scholars believe that Chinese porcelains were developed during the Shang Period as well.
The Shang Period disappeared with the creation of the early Spring and Autumn Period (722-481BC). The patterns in pottery remained quite primitive during this period as a result of the attentions given artistically to the development of their bronzes. Most collectors of pottery find that their interests skip from the Neolithic Period directly to the Spring & Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.