【Relics Become Icons】 Animal-shaped Gong
——五千年文明看山西
——Exploring 5,000 Years of Civilization in Shanxi
如果商代也有“表情包大赛”，这只来自3000多年前的“怪兽”，绝对能凭借一张脸稳拿冠军。它造型奇特，周身满饰华丽纹饰，而最让人过目不忘的，是它露齿“微笑”的魔性表情——憨憨的，萌萌的，甚至还有点治愈。
If the Shang dynasty had an "emoticon contest," this "monster" from over 3,000 years ago would absolutely take the crown with just its face. It has a unique shape and is covered in magnificent decorations, but what makes it truly unforgettable is its toothy, grinning expression—silly, cute, and even a little bit healing.
它叫兽形觥。1976年出土于山西省晋中市灵石县旌介村。觥，是商周时期的一种盛酒器，成语“觥筹交错”里的“觥”，说的就是它。这件商代晚期的青铜酒器，以独特的蹲兽造型搭配精美华丽的花纹，既保留了殷商铜器神秘狞厉的风格，又在北方青铜文化的影响下兼顾了实用性，堪称青铜艺术中少见的珍品。
Its name is the Animal-shaped Gong. It was unearthed in 1976 at Jingjie Village, Lingshi County, Jinzhong City, Shanxi Province. A gong is a type of wine vessel from the Shang and Zhou dynasties—the very character that appears in the idiom "gong chou jiao cuo" (wine cups and goblets pass freely). This late Shang bronze wine vessel, with its unique squatting beast shape and exquisite decorative patterns, retains the mysterious and fierce style of Shang bronzes while also incorporating practicality under the influence of northern bronze culture. It is a rare treasure in the art of bronze.
但别被它的“青铜身份”吓到。仔细看看这只兽形觥：浓眉大眼，张口露齿，蜗牛似的触角下藏着一对招风大耳，配上蹲坐的姿势——活脱脱一只“萌系野兽”。卖萌不是现代人的专利，原来3000多年前的古人，早早就拿捏住了这门手艺。
But don't be intimidated by its "bronze identity." Look closely at this Animal-shaped Gong: thick eyebrows, big eyes, open mouth with exposed teeth, snail-like antennae hiding a pair of bat-like ears, all set in a squatting pose—it's a living, breathing "cute little beast." Being cute isn't a modern invention. It turns out that people over 3,000 years ago had already mastered the art.
如今，这只“微笑怪兽”又有了新身份。山西博物院推出了“睡个午觉”盲盒系列，让文物们也集体“躺平”睡午觉。兽形觥与其他六款文物明星一起，化身毛绒公仔，裹在充满“汾酒”“老陈醋”等山西特色元素的睡袋和被子中，可爱值直接拉满。更贴心的是，这款产品自带挂链，背面还有磁吸设计——既可以挂在包上当挂件，也能贴在冰箱上做冰箱贴，实用又治愈。
Today, this "smiling monster" has taken on a new identity. The Shanxi Museum has launched a "Take a Nap" blind box series, letting cultural relics "lie down" and enjoy a nap together. The Animal-shaped Gong, along with six other iconic relics, has been transformed into plush dolls, wrapped in sleeping bags and blankets featuring Shanxi elements like "Fenjiu" (Shanxi's famous liquor) and "matured vinegar." The cuteness factor is off the charts. Even better, each product comes with a keychain and a magnetic backing on the reverse side—it can be hung on a bag as a charm or stuck on a refrigerator as a magnet. Practical and comforting at the same time.
