HO

Pinyin He, also spelled Huo, type of Chinese bronze vessel that was produced during the Shang dynasty (18th12th century Bc ) and the Chou dynasty (c. 1111255 BC). A serving vessel for wine, it has a number of variations in silhouette, and its only unvarying characteristic is a tubular spout projecting prominently from the body. The ho usually had a domical lid and a vertical handle on the side opposite the spout, and it stood on three or four legs that were well-articulated with the shape of the body. The form of the ho was derived from a Neolithic pottery predecessor. The decoration is often quite imaginative, especially in the early periods, and it both exploits and complements the shape of the ho.