There are two Tripods of the Xia, seven of the Shang, and twenty-five of the Zhou; their illustrations are provided in detail within the Illustrated Catalog of Antiquity. original: 博古圖 (Bó Gǔ Tú). This refers to the Xuanhe Bogu Tu, a thirty-volume catalog compiled during the Song Dynasty that meticulously documented bronze vessels in the imperial collection.

The Ding (鼎) is a prehistoric and ancient Chinese cauldron, standing on legs with a lid and two facing handles. It is one of the most important shapes used in Chinese ritual bronzes, symbolizing the power and authority of the state.

The Three Dynasties: Xia (夏), Shang (商), and Zhou (周) represent the foundational eras of Chinese civilization, stretching from approximately 2070 BCE to 256 BCE. The evolution of tripod designs across these eras reflects changes in ritual practices and metallurgy.