In the 23rd year of Daoguang's reign in the Qing Dynasty (AD 1843), Dong Chunsheng, a farmer in Dongjia Village, Qishan County, Shaanxi Province, accidentally discovered Mao Gong's tripod, one of the three tripods in the world, when he was collecting soil from the field.

With a long inscription of 499 words on the body of the tripod, it ranks first among the top ten bronzes in China.

While people pay attention to the inscriptions, they ignore the inspirational journey of the tripod from a cooking utensil to a heavy weapon.

Pictured above_ Maogong Ding, a late Western Zhou bronze vessel Pictured above_ The inscriptions in Maogong Ding were born out of the Neolithic period of cooking utensils, and people’s cooking methods were mainly based on fire and stone burning.

According to the "Ancient History Examination" written by Qiao Zhou of the Song Dynasty, people ate rice during Shen Nong's time, adding rice to the burnt stones and eating it.

After the Yellow Emperor, there was a cauldron and a steamer, and the method of eating with fire was established.

?Legend has it that the Yellow Emperor was the first to cast a tripod.

"Historical Records" records: "The Yellow Emperor collected copper from the mountain and cast the tripod at the foot of Jingshan Mountain". He made three tripods, which resembled heaven, earth and man.

"Shuowen Jiezi" notes: The tripod has three legs and two ears, and it is also a treasure with five flavors.

?Its appearance combines the functions of containers, tableware and cooking utensils.

It can be called a great dietary innovation.

"Book of Changes: The Biography of Xiang" records: "Ding, Xiang".

Use wood and sunda fire to promote cooking.

The sage enjoys God in a prosperous manner, and he enjoys great enjoyment in order to nourish the sages.

"Shuowen Jiezi" also contains: "Ding, like parsing wood for cooking".

The body of the tripod is stewed and the fire is burned under the tripod. It can cook both staple food and meat. This has established the Chinese nation's dietary structure of rice as the mainstay, meat as the supplement, and fruits and vegetables as the supplement.

Pictured above_ Ancient food utensil? Ding? With the development of metallurgical technology, the tripod was made of bronze instead of pottery. The body, feet and ears of the tripod are integrated into one. It is beautiful and elegant, with various patterns and decorations, simple and stable.

"Zhou Li Kao Gong Ji" believes that: "Sixth of the gold and one of the tin are equal to the bells and tripods."

?Keshi research shows that among the bronze used to make the tripod, copper accounts for 85.71% and tin accounts for 14.29%, which is completely consistent with the records in the literature.

In the Tang Dynasty, Dingshi was still popular.

Li Chengqian, the eldest son of Li Shimin, built an eight-foot furnace with six large cauldrons. He recruited slaves to steal horses and cattle from the people, cooked them in person, and ate them with the lucky slaves.

?Research shows that adults should consume 50-75 grams of meat every day to maintain life.

The reason is that meat is rich in protein, eggs, fat, amino acids, vitamins and trace mineral elements. Among them, 8 kinds of amino acids such as lysine, threonine, methionine and phenylalanine cannot be synthesized by the human body.

And it's essential.

Engels emphasized in "Dialectics of Nature": The most important thing for humans is the impact of meat on the brain. As a result, the brain has received much more materials necessary for its own nutrition and development than in the past, so it can survive from generation to generation.

developed more quickly and more completely.

As a cooking utensil for cooking meat, the tripod is naturally highly praised and respected by the Chinese nation.

Pictured above_ Zhongzi Bronze Ding from the Spring and Autumn Period, a cooking utensil that originated as a ritual vessel. The first person to connect the tripod with the country was Yi Yin of the Shang Dynasty.

He observes the changes in the tripod, is good at harmonizing the taste of the tripod, and uses the taste to explain the soup to the king.

In eating activities, etiquette is particularly important.

"Book of Rites, Li Yun" records: At the beginning of the husband's rites, food and drink begin.

The purpose of etiquette is to "respect, yield, and respect", and the tripod plays the role of distinguishing between high and low, and distinguishing ranks.

During the Western Zhou Dynasty, the Li Ding system emerged, reflecting strict hierarchical distinctions.

"Book of Rites of Zhou", "Book of Rites" and "Book of Rites" all point out: The emperor can enjoy nine cauldrons and eight guis, the princes can enjoy seven cauldrons and six guis, the officials have five cauldrons and four guis, the superiors can enjoy three cauldrons and two guis, and the corporals can have one cauldron and one gui.

?Different statuses lead to different tripods.

According to the level of status, the sizes of the tripods enjoyed are either different in size, or the number of the same tripods decreases in odd numbers.

The combination of odd-numbered tripods and even-numbered gui embodies the traditional concept that the tripods are odd and the tripods are even, and the meaning of yin and yang is also reflected.

In the pre-Qin period, the ruling class often used sacrifices to strengthen their power.

"Zuo Zhuan" points out: When offering sacrifices to important national events, the cauldron holding the sacrifices is often given a sacred mission and has the function of channeling spirits and praying.

Because of this, the tripod got rid of the shackles of cooking utensils and became a more important ritual vessel.

Pictured above_ The Yu Gong Jiuzhou Diagram was developed in the legend of the artifact. Yu collected the gold of Jiu Mu and cast nine tripods. One tripod represents a state, and the nine tripods symbolize the nine states and are the symbols of power for kings to rule the country.

In the operation of the state machinery, the tripod serves as an intermediary between the celestial body and the people above and below.

The Mao Gong Tripod mentioned at the beginning uses inscriptions to praise the Zhou king's merits in benevolent administration, civil and military achievements, and in rewarding ministers.

Recognizing the special value of the tripod, the princes from all walks of life will follow the rule of law if they get it, and the name is justified, so they all want to keep it.

In the pre-Qin period, the inheritance of the tripod meant the change of power.

In 606 BC, King Zhuang of Chu took advantage of the opportunity to attack Lu Hunrong near Luoyang and sent troops to Luoshui to show off his military power.

Wang Sunman, the envoy of King Zhou Ding, was ordered to work the army.

King Zhuang of Chu asked insinuatingly about the "size and importance" of Jiuding.

Pictured above_ A gold-silver-bronze tripod from the Warring States period, a type of cooking utensil. Wang Sunman was deeply disgusted by King Zhuang of Chu's behavior that violated etiquette. He said righteously and sternly: "(Xia) Distant Pictures, contributed nine pieces,

Cast a tripod to resemble an object? Jie was immoral, so the tripod was moved to the Shang Dynasty. The Shang Dynasty was tyrannical, and the tripod was moved to the Zhou Dynasty.

?Although Zhou's virtue has declined, his destiny has not changed.

The importance of the tripod cannot be questioned.