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Bronze incense burner lid decorated with a vivid phoenix
Updated: Dec 30, 2025
govt.chinadaily.com.cn
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Perched on this Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) hemispherical bronze incense burner lid, a phoenix balances on one leg, the other stretches forward, and its wings are half-spread as if it is about to rise into the air.
Influenced by West Asian cutting and hammering techniques, the phoenix and dome were shaped separately, then joined by welding. Openwork motifs in persimmon-calyx and petal shapes on the dome let smoke drift out like clouds.
Unearthed in a village in Datong county, Qinghai province, and now housed at the Qinghai Museum, this piece shows how ancient artisans used bronze to capture lightness, rhythm, and imagination.
