MEDIA ALERT: Great Photo Opportunity

Sept. 28, 2005 -- WHAT: A giant metal cup, standing five feet tall, four feet in diameter and weighing 1500 pounds will be moved into its new home.The cup is actually a giant replication of a "Ding" and is a gift from alumni of the Olin School of Business' Executive M.B.A. - Shanhhai program

WHERE: Washington University in St. Louis, Knight Center Courtyard. Located off of Snow Drive between Big Bend and Skinker.

WHEN: Thursday, Sept. 29 in the afternoon. The exact time will be determined Thursday morning. Please call if you intend to come. We should have a more exact time by Thursday morning. Contact: Shula Neuman (314) 935-5202.

WHO: Alumni of the Executive M.B.A.-Shanghai program that the Olin School of Business runs jointly with Fudan University in Shanghai.

WHY: The alumni are donating the Ding as a symbol of the strong ties they have with Washington University. It is traditional in Chinese culture to give gifts as an expression of an ongoing commitment.

HOW: Good question. How does one put a 1500-pound vessel onto a concrete base inside of a special pavillion constructed specifically for the Ding? That's why this is a great photo or film opportunity.

More About the Ding:

A Ding is part of a set of ceremonial bronze vessels, which historically came in a variety shapes and frequently carried food and wine. The ruling class used the ritual bronzes during ancestor worship rituals, placing the vessels in burial tombs. Beginning in the Shang dynasty, which lasted from the 16th to the 11th century, BC, large Dings were used as gifts from one aristocrat to another. These large Dings symbolized authority and the right to rule. The number of Dings an aristocrat owned indicated his status: the Emperor had nine Dings, dukes and barons had seven and scholarly gentlemen, three.