In the Shang and Zhou dynasties, bronze was called “jin” (meaning both metal and gold), and was a precious metal only used by the king and aristocrats.

Some bronze ware items unearthed from Yin Xu are carved with a design depicting a tiger biting a man. This design, though not as common as the kui dragon design, attracted wide attention due to its uniqueness and mystery.

The mystery of this design is that though the tiger appears ferocious, the man in its mouth appears composed or even smiling. Some experts said that this design depicts a wizard who allows communication between man and gods through an animal.