商末周初楚国始立,由于生产力低下,青铜器的发展尚未成熟。随着国力的增强和地域的扩张,楚国逐步统占了南方。通过文化上的融合,形成了独特风格的楚系青铜器。在淅川下寺二号墓和曾侯乙墓中出土的楚国铜器,造型独具一格,显示了高超的铸造技术;受西周几何纹饰的影响,楚系青铜纹饰依从了周人纹饰的规矩排列,却在纹样上有所创新,形成了自己独特的风格,其浮雕、镂雕、镶嵌、铸镶等纹饰的工艺制法,代表了中国古代青铜铸造史上的最高水平。
In the end of Shang and the beginning of Zhou, Chu started to be founded, and the development of bronze was not mature yet due to low productivity. With the prosperous national power and the expansion of re- gions, Chu gradually dominated the south. The Chu Style of bronze with unique style was formed by the cul- tural fusion. The Chu bronze which was unearthed from M2 and the tomb of Zenghouyi in Xiasi, Xichuan County has unique modeling style and high casting technologies; under the influence of geometric ornamenta- tion in western Zhou, the ornamentation in Chu style of bronze obeyed arrangement rules of ornamentation in Zhou Dynasty, but innovated in the patterns, so formed its own unique style of ornamentation, relief, carved, mosaic, casting inlay and other process system of ornamentation, Chu style of bronze represents the highest level in the history of ancient Chinese bronze casting.