#archaism

I’m studying Archaism so I can shitpost better.

Vessels for Ritual Offering (Gui and two dou), Qianlong period (1736-95)

Qing dynasty, China

H. 10 ¾ in. (27.3 cm), 7 3/4 in. (19.7 cm)

Medium: Porcelain with low-relief decoration under dark blue glaze

These vessels (25.143.1–.3) were used in state rituals held in the first lunar month of the year, during which the emperor made offerings to heaven at the Altar for Bountiful Harvest (Qigutan), part of the Temple of Heaven in Beijing.

In shape and decoration, these ceramic vessels—a gui and two dou—are modeled on bronze grain receptacles of the Eastern Zhou dynasty (770–256 B.C.), which would have formed part of a larger set of objects, employed in ritual offerings, that included containers for wine and meat. In later times, ceramic took the place of bronze, and vessels were color-coded according to one of four ritual altars at which the emperor conducted ceremonies: blue for heaven, yellow for earth, red for the sun, and white for the moon.

/ˈɑːkeɪɪz(ə)m/ - ar-KAY-iz-um

Money tree, Eastern Han dynasty, ca. 100-200

Bronze with glazed earthenware base

Provenance: Sichuan, China

Asian Art Museum, San Francisco

“Money trees are rare; most appear to have come from Sichuan province and other parts of West China. They offer a fascinating glimpse into regional and metropolitan Han beliefs. The replicas of coins that hang from the limbs of this tree symbolize wishes for good fortune in the afterlife. The tree would have been placed in a tomb in the hope that the soul of the occupant would have wealth while residing in the paradise of the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwang Mu). The main figure near the top is the Queen Mother. She sits on a throne supported by a dragon and a tiger. Further down the tree is a seated Buddha.

Early Buddha images are found in some objects associated with Xiwang Mu, perhaps because Buddhism was a religion of the West, the direction in which the Queen Mother resided. A number of winged immortals (Xian), the residents of the Queen Mother's paradise, can also be seen on this tree.

Archaism Verse Archaism in verse refers to the deliberate use of old-fashioned, obsolete, or antiquated language, syntax, or spelling to create a sense of nostalgia, grandeur, or historical atmosphere in poetry. Poets may use archaic words like thee, thou, thine, dost, whence, hither, and yonder to evoke a past era or mimic classical or medieval styles. Ode to the Forgotten Knight Hark! Yon…