Abstract: The stylistic variation in Dian bronze art delineates thesociety of the Dian culture (4th century BC-1st century AD) as a hierarchical one that also had affinities to awide range of alien cultures. Further studies of archaeo-logical materials uncovered in Yunnan sites reveal that population movements, continual cultural assimilation,and frequent technological exchanges in and around Yunnan resulted in the creation of a hybrid bronze art,which was eventually transplanted on to the indigenouscultural stratum in east-central Yunnan.