Bronze Vessels -----China's bronze Age began approximately from 2100 BC, and saw its prime around 13th to 11th century BC. Spanning over nearly 2000 years, the Chinese Bronze Age had covered Xia, Shang and Zhou Dynasties. At those times, bronze, still regarded as a precious alloy, was mainly used to forge ritual ware for ceremonies paying tribute to the ancestors and expensive containers on banquets for honorable guests.