Unearthed at Maoshanyu in Taoyuan county, Hunan province in 1919, the Square-Sectioned Lei Container of Min from the Shang Dynasty (c.16th century-11th century BC) was added to the permanent collection of Hunan Museum in 2014 after being kept and traded overseas for nearly a century.
With its extraordinary relief and intaglio motifs, this ancient artifact is referred to as the “King of Square-Sectioned Lei Containers” and exemplifies works made during the heyday of the Chinese Bronze Age.