The SuigongXu遂公盨 Calligraphy and Inscription: A Contextual Reconstruction and Translation

This article discusses some of the major issues that arise in the reconstruction and interpretation of the Suigongxuinscription, including a discussion of the authenticity issue from the perspective of Western Zhou calligraphy, and provides a contextual reconstruction of the bronze inscription as well as an English translation. The author argues that the Suigongxucalligraphy is consistent with the typical calligraphic style of the late Western Zhou bronze inscriptions represented by the Sanshipanand Maogongdingrather than with the style of the middle Western Zhou bronze inscriptions, in particular, those dated to the reign of King Gong. It also argues that the main body of the Suigongxuinscription consists of two paragraphs that end with the two exclamatory sentencesjue wei wei de厥亹唯德 and with(jue) hungou yi wei xie tian(厥) 婚媾亦唯協天 respectively, and that both sentences share the same sentence structurejue厥 …wei唯 …