China - Jiajing period (1522 - 1566) A 'dou' shaped ritual vessel in brown patina bronze, the body and lid decorated with a frieze of birds on a background of leiwen, waves and spirals. The inscription on the foot: In June of the Jiajing Gengzi year (1540), the Tongzhi (sub-prefect) of Guangzhou prefecture, Cheng Duo, the Tongpan (judge) Huang Zhongmei and Zhou Pu and the Tuiguan (magistrate) Wu Rongxi, together ordered the bronzes to be made. The Xundao (director of education) Xu Yue was responsible for production. H 23cm