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'Angry Birds' find a cousin in ancient China

By Jia Xu (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2011-04-27 15:18

This combined photo shows the Chinese antique "Xiao You" (L) and "Angry Bird". [Photo/chinadaily.com.cn]

For long, celebrity personators have been a favorite on TV. Such over-night fame now enters the Web age as Chinese netizens revel in an obscure antique's catapult into Internet sensation, simply because of its stunning resemblance to the red-hot Angry Birds.

The owl-shaped container, dated at least 3,000 years ago to ancient China's Shang Dynasty (1766BC to 1122 BC), has a plump body, bulging eyes and pointed beak, all vivid features of the online icon. Even the pot cover's tine tip has a joyous resemblance to the Angry Birds' flaring forelock. 

File photo: "Xiao You", exhibits in Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan, capital of Central China's Shanxi province. [Photo/Chutian Metropolis Daily]

The hilarious likeness was first discoverd by a Beijing sina micro blogger, who posted a photo of the relic online after a visit to the Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan of Central China's Shanxi province where it is put on display, according to a news report on Chutian Metropolis Daily.

The post then went viral, forwarded thousands of times on the Internet. A netizen described the ancient holder as "the most lovely and trendy Shang Dynasty relic".

But what on earth is this owl-shaped pot? The antique, named "Xiao You" in Chinese, was used as wine cup by high-ranking officials and monarchies during Shang period.

The vessel was excavated in 1956, and stands at 19.7 centimeters in height, 13.4 centimeters wide. It is formed combining two owls back-to-back embedded with fine decorative flowers.

"Owls symbolize mystery; awe and ferocity in ancient Chinese culture; the owl-shaped vessels were therefore very popular among the ruling class in Shang Dynasty," Qu Chuanfu, researcher, director of Shanxi Museum said during an interview.

As for the vessel's amusing revival on Internet, Qu said it reflects an inheritance of artistic taste Chinese people share from ancient to current time.

"If there's no common artistic taste, people wouldn't soon spot the similarity the vessel shares with the Angry Bird."

However, young people should also learn to dig out the real essence of cultural relics, "Fun is good, but never stop at the fun level while appreciating cultural relics," said Qu.

Qu added that there are about ten vessels dated from Shang Dynasty in existence, though half of them are lost overseas. The good news is, the one on display in Shanxi Museum is of the best quality, and arguably the most precious one.