Hu

This is a hu. It was used at rituals to hold wine.

Image of hu

Look closely at this hu from the Eastern Zhou period. You can see cormorants fishing and tortoises.

Cormorant fishing

Detail from the hu - a cormorant fishing

is a traditional way of fishing in China. The fisherman goes out on his boat at dusk and takes his trained cormorants with him. He puts a torch on the front of the boat to attract the fish to the surface. The cormorants scoop the fish from the water and return to the boat. They have a collar around their neck to prevent them swallowing the fish. So, the bird spits the fish out for the fisherman.

back...