Bronze Tree Branches


  

    Height: 7.8 cm, width: 1.6 cm, thickness: 4.4 cm, weight: 38.8 g. Composed of mythical tree branches with buds and a bronze bird (K2③:47). The bronze wire originally threaded through the bird's beak is now missing. The bird perches on a leaf of the mythical tree. Large bronze trees of this type, especially those adorned with mythical creatures like coiling dragons, are not ordinary trees but likely possess divine attributes. Such mythical trees are documented in ancient Chinese mythology, including Jianmu, Fusang, Ruomu, Sansang, and Taodu. The bird and buds were cast separately or in segments and later attached to the main structure.