Advance and retreat.
汉铎
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han duo
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Han Dynasty bell
A Duo is an ancient bell from the Han Dynasty made from bronze that was used to communicate commands. There are two types of clappers used to sound the bell, a wooden one (mu) and a metal one (jin ‚gold‘, though gold just means metal in this case, not real gold). The wooden one was used for times of peace to announce cultural news. The metal one was used during wartimes to signal the retreat of troops. There is the saying “击鼓而进，鸣金则退” ji gu er jin, ming jin ze tui, meaning ‚advancing with the beat of the drum, retreating with the cry of the metal bell.‘
So if you remember, there is indeed a teapot that is modeled after an ancient drum: the fanggu teapot! So in a sense, those two form a pair. We also already saw another teapot inspired by a bell: the dezhong teapot.
The main shape is a tall cone, so the circumference is smaller on top and larger toward the bottom.
The lid knob mimics the teapot’s shape, with an added band to improve grip. It also adds a bit of interest to the otherwise plain knob. Furthermore, some duos from the Han era also have this ring on the handle. The lid is embedded in the teapot so that the original shape of the bell is uninterrupted.
Get yourself some ‚Teapot Shapes I‘ and ‚Teapot Shapes II‘ postcards!
LY
