銅鼎是從陶制的三足鼎演變而來的，起初用來烹煮食物，后主要用于祭祀和宴享，是商周時期重要的禮器之一。鼎，古代原是飪食器，后來變?yōu)榻y(tǒng)治政治權(quán)利的重要象征，視為鎮(zhèn)國之寶和傳國之寶，也是“明貴賤，別上下”等級制的標志。

Copper tripod evolved from pottery tripod. It was first used to cook food, then mainly used for sacrifice and feast. It was one of the most important ritual vessels in Shang and Zhou Dynasties. Ding, originally a cooking utensil in ancient times, became an important symbol of the political rights of the ruling class. It was regarded as the treasure of town and country and the treasure of spreading the nation. It was also the symbol of the hierarchical system of "noble and cheap, distinguishing from superior and inferior".