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Four bronze connected cauldrons witness ancient culinary ingenuity
Updated: Jul 28, 2026
China Bound
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Does this Han Dynasty (206 BC-AD 220) "four-in-one" cooking vessel remind you of the stove at your home? Made up of four bronze connected cauldrons of the same size, it could cook multiple dishes at the same time. Two still have hinged lids that swing open and stay attached — an ingenious design for its time.
An inscription of 20 Chinese characters suggests it may have belonged to Princess Guantao, the eldest daughter of Emperor Wen of Han and Empress Dou.
Now preserved in the Xianyang Museum in Xianyang, Shaanxi, this artifact offers a glimpse into both the culinary ingenuity and elite life 2,000 years ago.
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