In ancient China, most of the bronze was used to make ritual vessels and weapons in accordance with the Rite System and so as to consolidate the reigns of emperors. This is one of the most distinctive characteristics of Chinese bronze culture.

The ritual vessels, exhibited in the temples, ancestral halls and palaces, were used on occasions like sacrifices, feasts and various ceremonies. There are various types of ritual vessels including those for wine, food, water and musical instruments. The bronze ritual vessels, embodiment of the state order, military power and divine power, vary in modeling, patterns, and inscriptions and demonstrate the artistic achievement of Chinese bronze wares.

The bronze food vessels mainly include ding (three-legged vessel), li (caldron), yan (food vessel composed of a caldron and a bamboo steamer), gui (round-mouthed food vessel with two or four loop handles), fu (square grain receptacle), xu (food vessel with a cover and two handles), dui (container), dou (standing cup), bi (ancient ladle for rice), and so on. Among the various bronze wares, ding, originally used as a food vessel, is the most representative.