Vessel in the shape of a duck

This bronze vessel in the shape of a duck, although representing a standard type produced during the Song dynasty and later dynasties, has no exact prototype. During the Song dynasty, a strong desire existed to make exact copies of the ritual vessels of the late Bronze Age. But only a limited number of these early vessels were available to copy, making it necessary to rely on descriptions in texts and other sources. Once these copied vessels entered the repertoire, they were reproduced in woodblock-printed catalogues and became standard types.