This vessel was found in the first chamber to the west in the tomb at Shizishan. The chamber contained large numbers of bronze an iron weapons, as well as lacquer and jade items, and the excavators suggested it may have been a storage room. It also houseed a number o fcontainers and vessels for liquids, including the present piece, and food vessels. Lying on its right side, the vesel was sandwiched between a container zhong to the north and 2 triop ding, one to the south and one to the southwest.

       The underside of the yi’s spout bears the 16-character inscription Shiguang 13 1 dou to sheng 6 jin 2liang, detailing the vessel’s weigh t and volume. The term shiguan refers to the office at the court of Chu at Xuzhou of those responsible heir apparent and the princely eatablishment. The inscriptiong confirms the use of the group fo vessels in this chamber. The yi was probably used like a weer, held by a servent, to pour water over hands for washing with a basin placed below. Yi and basins are often found together and it is tempting to suggest that the bronze basin are often found together and it is tempting to suggest that the bronze basin that was also found in this chamber was once used for this purpose along wiht this yi. With a flat base instead of a more rounded one, the present example is based in picecs fron the late Warring States. The loop on the surface opposite the spout could be used to suspend the yi.