Title
Stemcup with drinking tube and fish
Year/Period
Tang dynasty, around 830s
Region
Probably Gongxian kilns, Henan province, China
Material
Dimension
Object Size: 10.4 x 10.9 x 12.5 cm
Accession No.
2005.1-00412
Collection of
Credit Line
The Tang Shipwreck was acquired through the generous donation of the Estate of Khoo Teck Puat.
The basic shape of these cups is based on examples in metal but they have an additional tube applied to the outer wall that connects to a hole at the base of the cup. This tube works like a straw and an animal (typically a fish) at the bottom cleverly conceals the hole. Such cups are rarely seen among extant Tang dynasty vessels.The Song poet Fan Chengda (1126–1193) calls similar vessels “nose-drinking cups” (biyin bei 鼻饮杯). It was apparently a pleasurable experience to drink water straight from the nose to the throat in the summertime.
.JPG)
