The Mao Gong Tripod, now in the National Palace Museum in Taipei, is a classic work of bronze inscriptions. It is said that it was unearthed in Qishan, Shaanxi during the late Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty. Height 53.8 cm, diameter 47.9 cm. It is round, with two erect ears, a deep belly and a bulging belly, and three hoofed feet. The shape is dignified and steady. The neck is decorated with a heavy ring pattern and a string pattern, which is simple and solemn. There is an inscription in the belly with 32 lines and 499 words. The Mao Gong Ding is named after the author Mao Gong. It is the longest inscription among the existing bronzes.
The full text of Dao first recounts the great achievements of the Zhou Dynasty monarchs King Wen and King Wu, lamenting the current unrest, and then narrates that King Xuan also ordered Mao Gong, appointing him to manage internal and external affairs, and having the power to announce the king's orders. King Xuan repeatedly taught King Mao to be diligent in government, love the people, cultivate his moral character, and give him some utensils to show encouragement. Duke Mao cast this event on a tripod to commemorate and spread it to future generations.
This is a typical inscription of fortune in the Western Zhou Dynasty, but it does not stick to the traditional naming style. It is divided into five sections, each of which begins with "Wang Ruoyue". It obviously comes from that time (the period of King Cheng of Zhou, 1115 BC - 1079) in the hands of the historian. The entire inscription is exquisite, complete, and profound. It is a representative work of Western Zhou prose. For example, the first paragraph of the article:
Wang Ruo said: "Father, Pi showed his civil and military skills, and the emperor and heaven were disgusted with his virtues. He matched me with Zhou, and Ying received the great order. He led the emperor to fail and refused to pay homage to Geng Guang, the civil and military official. Only the generals of heaven gather their orders, and only The first is a correct strategy and then a radical one. It belongs to the great destiny. The emperor will die in heaven. I have a week to protect me. Pi Gong, the former king, is in line with the order. He is afraid of the power of heaven. He is the little boy who is in charge of Yu. He is a good general. He has traced his traces in all directions. He is a great follower of Pi. Quiet. Woohoo! I am afraid of being a little boy, but I will conquer all difficulties, and I will always be loyal to the late king."
