青铜材料的稀有和青铜铸造工艺的先进性，使得它与陶器、木器和石器等沉沦于日常物用的器具，走上了截然不同的发展道路。青铜鼎、簋、尊、盘、爵等作为食具、酒具、盛水器等实用功能与作为礼器在先民精神生活中标出的意义是互为表里、融贯一致的。可以说，没有古代青铜器，就不可能有商、周以来文质彬彬的贵族等级体制和先秦时代特色独具的权力表达系统。古代文明体制的核心，即所谓的"礼、乐、征伐自天子出"、"国之大事，在祀与戎"，无不与青铜文化有着千丝万缕的联系。
The rare bronze materials and the advanced technology of bronze casting make it go on a completely different path with pottery, wood and stone tools, etc. The practical functions of bronze Ding, Zhen, Zun, pan, Jue, etc. as tableware, wine set, water vessel and other practical functions are consistent with the meaning marked in the spiritual life of the ancestors as ritual utensils. It can be said that without ancient bronzes, there would not have been a genteel aristocratic hierarchy since Shang and Zhou Dynasties and a unique power expression system with the characteristics of the pre Qin period. The core of the ancient civilization system, namely the so-called "rites, music, expeditions from the son of heaven" and "national affairs, in worship and military", are inextricably linked with bronze culture.