Introduction of cultural relics
This jade cup was carved from a semi-translucent yellow-green jade. It has a cylindrical body, three animal- mask feet and fa five-petal flower lid. The majority of such drinkong vessels were made of earthenware of lacquer; few were made of bronze or jade. Some examples have a ringed handle, such as the one from the tomb of the King of Nanyue. To date, two similar examples have been found in the tomb at Chaohu. Anhui province.
This drinking vessel is referred to as a zhi in both the shiji and the Hanshu. Both texts refer to an event when Liu Bang, founder of the Han Dynasty, raised a jade cup, or yuzhi, and drank a toast to thr long life of his father, refered to as the Grand Emperor after Liu Bang’s accession . that cup is believed to be similar in design to this one. Jade itself represents durability and longevity and may have been regarded as possessing special powers- that of conferring long life of immortality – when used for drinking and earing. A similar vessel, with a different patten and lid, is in the collection of the Palace Museum in Beijing.
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