This treasure once wandered far and wide, even becoming a frying pan, yet it turns out to be worth more than half a ton of gold. What is it?
Some artifacts may initially appear ordinary but are, in fact, rare treasures with immense value.
The treasure is known as the Xie Jia Pan (or the Xie Jia tray), which serves as a testament. This is a bronze tray crafted in 823 BC, during the Western Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC – 771 BC). According to archaeologists, this tray is 11.7 cm tall, 47 cm wide, and features handles on both sides. Notably, it is inscribed with over 130 characters that commemorate a famous historical event from the Western Zhou period.
The bronze tray is inscribed with 133 characters related to the Western Zhou Dynasty. (Photo: Chinadaily).
The Xie Jia tray is named after Yuan Jia Fu, the duke of the State of Yuan, a vassal state of the Western Zhou. He was instrumental in compiling the “Book of Songs,” the first collection of poetry in China. This ancient tray was unearthed during the Song Dynasty (960 – 1279) and later became a national treasure during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 – 1279). However, it subsequently became lost among the populace.
Initially, the Xie Jia tray looked very much like a frying pan. (Photo: Chinadaily).
In the early years of the Yuan Dynasty, the Xie Jia tray accidentally fell into the hands of a common couple. At first, they mistook the artifact for a frying pan and removed its feet. Consequently, the main part of the tray was used as a pan for making pancakes. Fortunately, an official named Li Shun Fu discovered the situation and quickly rescued this rare treasure.
However, once again, the Xie Jia tray fell back into obscurity. The last person known to have collected this treasure was Mr. Chen Jie Qi, who lived during the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. Yet, the whereabouts of the Xie Jia tray became unclear. Given its immense cultural and historical value, numerous imitation artifacts began to appear in Japan, Hong Kong (China), and elsewhere.
This might also explain why a man named Du purchased the Xie Jia tray in the United States for only 300 USD and was largely regarded as having bought a fake.
After examination, the bronze tray purchased by Du for 300 USD in the US was confirmed to be authentic. This treasure dates back to the Western Zhou Dynasty. (Photo: Chinadaily).
Although it is unclear how the Xie Jia tray ended up in distant America, experts quickly verified this artifact.
Specifically, by 2014, Mr. Yuan Zheng Hong, an intangible cultural heritage expert in Shiyan (Hubei Province), who had researched Yuan Jia Fu, along with several other experts, confirmed that the Xie Jia tray that Mr. Du purchased for 300 USD is indeed authentic.
After conducting comparisons and assessments, the experts reached a consensus that the shape, inscriptions, and wear of the Xie Jia tray corresponded with historical records. Furthermore, the content of the inscriptions on the ancient tray relates to royal titles and rewards during the Western Zhou period. The most unfortunate aspect is that the tray has lost its feet.
The treasure sold for over half a ton of gold
An antique collector purchased the nearly 3,000-year-old Xie Jia tray for over 27 million USD. (Photo: Chinadaily).
On July 15, 2017, at an auction held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province (China), the Xie Jia tray was sold for a staggering 27.3 million USD, equivalent to approximately 0.6 tons of gold at that time. This nearly 3,000-year-old tray became the property of an anonymous collector and ranks among the highest-priced artifacts sold at auction in China.
Historians even assess that the Xie Jia tray is valued similarly to the Mao Gong Ding, a bronze artifact from the Western Zhou period with the longest inscriptions in the world.
