Bronze ding was popular during the Shang and Zhou Dynasties (16th century-221BC). As important sacrificial vessels that could only be used by aristocrats, bronze ding symbolized power and was considered a national treasure.

The biggest piece of bronze ware unearthed in China, the Simuwu Rectangle Ding (cooking vessel), represents the highest achievement in bronze ware of the Shang Dynasty. The opening of the Simuwu Rectangle Ding is 110 cm long and 78 cm wide; its sides are six cm thick and the loop handles are 133 cm high. The ding weighs 875 kilograms. Although the ding is big and heavy with thick walls, its workmanship is exquisite. Reliefs of the Kui , a one-legged mythical animal, were carved on all four sides of the ding' s body. The animal figures are artistically exaggerated to create a ferocious, mysterious and dignified mood. Three characters - Si Mu Wu -- were carved on the inside walls. In 1939 the ding was unearthed in the farmlands of Houjiazhuang Village in Anyang, Henan Province. The local people reburied the rare cultural relic to protect it from being plundered by the Japanese. After China defeated the Japanese invaders the ding was unearthed again in 1946 -- with a missing loop. The Simuwu Rectangle Ding now rests at the Chinese Revolutionary History Museum in Beijing.

According to the ding inscriptions archeologists deduced that the King of the Shang Dynasty had the Simuwu Rectangle Ding made to commemorate his mother. Traces of the casting indicate that the ding was made using 20 moulds, which represent the large scale of bronze ware workshop, high level of organization, as well as production management.

The Simuwu Rectangle Ding is held in high esteem for many reasons. The ding provided casting experts with a sample of the development of the craft of ancient casting; artists deduced from its designs that it was the cream of painting; historians drew important, tangible evidence of historical data; and calligraphers appreciated the high artistic value of Shang characters.