Snakes and frogs fight each other in nature, but this bronze artifact makes snakes and frogs live in harmony

In the exhibition hall of the Liangshan Museum in Sichuan, the bronze snake-frog table attracts many ancient culture enthusiasts with its unique shape and profound cultural connotation. This bronze ware not only reflects the exquisite craftsmanship of the ancient Yanyuan people, but also shows the colorful social culture and religious beliefs during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. The appearance of the bronze snake-frog table has the mystery of witchcraft. It is rectangular in shape, 48 cm long, 17 cm wide and 17 cm high. There is a snake head raised high at each end of the table, with a fish in its mouth and its body coiled in the middle of the table. 32 bronze frogs connected head to tail are neatly arranged around the edges of the table, which are lifelike. The table foot is composed of two fence-shaped copper sheets with fish patterns cast on them. The fish skeleton is clearly visible, and the scales on it are finely carved. Such an exquisite design not only shows the superb skills of ancient craftsmen, but also makes people feel the profound cultural significance behind this artifact.

Image source: Internet

The journey of the snake-frog bronze altar was full of twists and turns. This snake-frog bronze altar was stolen by tomb robbers, but fortunately it was caught by the police. According to the identification of archaeological experts, the snake-frog bronze altar is very similar to the cultural relics unearthed in the Laolongtou Tomb Area in Yanyuan, and both are bronze artifacts made by the Zao people during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

The snake and frog bronze table is a sacrificial item for ancient people. The tombs of wizards have been discovered many times in Yanyuan area, so researchers speculate that it is likely to be a religious sacrificial item at that time. And its user is a wizard, and the snake and frog bronze table is buried with the wizard in the tomb as a burial item. Since ancient times, witchcraft has been prevalent in Yanyuan area, and there is a saying that "witchcraft and wildfire come from the southwest". The snake and frog on the snake and frog bronze table are symbols of people's religious beliefs at that time. In ancient times, the residents of Yanyuan area, the Zao people, worshipped witchcraft. They had no writing, but used bronze ware to record their history and beliefs. The Zao people are a mysterious nation. As early as the Qin and Han Dynasties, they lived in the lower reaches of the Yalong River. They mastered the technology of extracting salt, occupied a large amount of salt mine resources, and developed their own unique national culture. The snake and frog bronze table is an important part of the religious culture of the Zao people. In ancient times, frogs and snakes not only symbolized fertility and harvest, but were also closely related to praying for rain and sacrificial activities. In the southwest, frogs and snakes often appear on bronze ware, which reflects the worship and awe of these animals by people at that time. The connection between the Zao people and the snake-frog bronze table is not only reflected in the production and use of the ware, but also in the cultural significance it carries. The Zao people passed down their beliefs and sacrificial culture through bronze ware, allowing us to glimpse the life and spiritual world of this ancient nation. The snakes and frogs on the snake-frog bronze table are not only symbols of the Zao people's religious beliefs, but also a manifestation of their harmonious coexistence with nature. In the culture of the Zao people, frogs and snakes are not just animals, they represent the cycle of heaven, earth, nature and life, and are important symbols for the Zao people to pray for a good harvest and reproduction. As a precious cultural relic, the snake-frog bronze table not only shows the superb bronze craftsmanship of the ancient Yanyuan area, but also reveals the mysterious religious culture and sacrificial customs of the Zao people. It allows us to have a clearer understanding of this ancient nation that is only recorded in a few words in history books, and feel their rich and colorful spiritual world and cultural heritage.

Through the snake-frog bronze table, we know that cultural relics are not just a collection in a museum, but also a bridge connecting the ancient and modern spirits and cultures. By observing cultural relics, we can see the richness and diversity of ancient spiritual culture and material culture. People placed their thoughts on gods and constructed a colorful worldview and cultural view, which we modern people can't help but stop and sigh.

What we should know more is that modern people can also create a charming culture. As Thoreau said in Walden, the era in which our ancestors lived is the same as ours. The glory that our ancestors could create can also be created by modern people. We will create cultural relics and treasures for the next thousand years based on the culture of our ancestors, and make "friends of the millennium" with culture. Let people in the next thousand years also be proud of the history and culture created by our human beings.