5 May 2025
Grace Tu
The evolution of Chinese tea and wine cups offers a rich narrative of craftsmanship, cultural values, and artistic experimentation. Across centuries, these vessels have served not only as practical objects but also as reflections of their time—markers of social hierarchy, technical innovation, and aesthetic taste.
Our Friday 16 May 2025 London auction of Fine Asian Works of Art includes an excellent range of examples (Lots 1 - 46).
From early stoneware and lacquer to silver, porcelain, and even coconut shells, Chinese artisans employed a wide range of materials. Each medium carried both functional significance and symbolic resonance. Whether monochrome or adorned with vibrant famille rose decoration, these objects offer insight into the sophistication of Chinese material culture. Pieces such as Lot 1, a fine silver wine cup, and Lots 2 and 3, crafted from organic materials, stand as rare examples of early ingenuity.
The Tang dynasty (618–906), a period of economic prosperity and global exchange, fostered the flourishing of tea and wine culture. A notable example from this era is Lot 5, a Changsha polychrome-decorated tea bowl, which typifies the colourful and expressive ceramic forms popular in this cosmopolitan age.
By the Song dynasty (960–1279), the aesthetic sensibilities of tea culture shifted towards understated refinement, echoing Confucian ideals. The rise of tea connoisseurship brought dark-glazed bowls into favour, valued for their visual interplay with the frothy, pale tea of the time. Bowls such as the Jizhou leaf-decorated example (Lot 11) showcase the delicate innovation characteristic of the era. Celadon wares from Yaozhou and Longquan also gained popularity, continuing well into the Ming dynasty.
During the Ming and Qing periods (1368–1911), porcelain craftsmanship reached new heights. Artisans explored a broad spectrum of glazes, forms, and motifs, creating pieces for both imperial courts and global markets. Among the highlights are the Dehua rhinoceros horn-form libation cups (Lot 40), which reinterpret organic forms with remarkable skill. The iron-red decorated ‘Dragon’ wine cups from the Tongzhi and Guangxu periods (Lots 28 and 29) exemplify the refinement of Qing imperial kilns.
Even into the 20th century, the tradition persisted. A set of ten Qianjiang-enamelled cups (Lot 41) reflects the continued playfulness and creativity of Chinese ceramic decoration, appealing to collectors today as much as ever.
From the Tang dynasty’s expressive polychromes to the technical brilliance of Qing porcelain, Chinese tea and wine cups trace a lineage of cultural exchange and artistic innovation. These intimate objects—once cradled in the hands of emperors, scholars, and everyday people alike—serve as miniature chronicles of China’s vast and varied history.
