Page 15 - Bonhams GANBEI A Toast To Wine Culture, Hong Kong Nov 30 2022

Fig.1 Pottery amphora, Yotkan, Xinjiang, Fig. 2 Blue and white stem cup, Fig. 3 Doucai wine cup,
2nd-3rd century Yuan Dynasty Chenghua
Image courtesy of British Museum Image courtesy of British Museum Image courtesy of National Palace Museum, Taiwan

The evolution of wine vessels has been closely related to the As one of the earliest products of the material civilization of
evolution of the alcoholic beverages themselves. Wine vessels mankind, wine was especially reflected in the spiritual civilization
were quite large during Shang and Zhou dynasties due to the in China. Whereas wine was a part of the ritual system in Zhou
low alcohol concentration back then, and the fact it requires one Dynasty, it was also incorporated in the rituals of Confucianism,
to chug the wine together with its residue upon consumption as Buddhism, Taoism and even folk beliefs in subsequent generations
the two were yet to be separated at the time. Meanwhile, filtered as a medium to channel deities and spirits of ancestors. After
wine which is similar to today’s Japanese sake, also did exist back seeing increasing use in the secular realm, wine was essentially the
then, acting as a clarified variety during the era. From Shang and catalyst for inspiring literary creations, with its initial peak being Wei
Zhou to Tang and Song Dynasties, no matter how the name of the to Eastern Jin Dynasties, where literary works and activities were
wine changed, brewing method remained solely by fermentation all centred around wine. Tang and Song Dynasties saw another
and filtration. Even with repeated fermentation, it was difficult for spike in wine-related poems and verses. These literary allusions
the resulting alcohol concentration to exceed 20 degrees. The related to wine later became the subject of artistic creation in Ming
volume of wine vessels, therefore, was often relatively large. Verses and Qing Dynasties (Lot 132 and 147).
claim ancient people easily "drink three hundred cups at a time
"(Li Bai, 701-762) was not due to ancient people having a higher At a time when Maotai, a local stilled wine in Guizhou, is repeatedly
tolerance towards alcohol intake than modern people, but instead sold at sky-high prices, it is worth noting that China has a long
simply because the alcohol concentration was lower. Currently, the history and diverse origins of wine brewery. After the introduction
academia considers that distilled wine was introduced to China of distilled wine into China, almost all other previous brews
during Yuan Dynasty; as the degree of alcohol concentration became literary terms, while only Shaoxing wine persevered to
multiplied, it would be consequently impossible for one to chug exist until now. Ming and Qing courts mainly consumed rice wine
like before. Li Shizhen (1518-1593), a patron saint of Chinese as well, as Maotai did not come to prominence until 1950s, and it
herbal medicine, even considered shaojiu (distilled wine) as a was not until the 1980s for drinking to become a burden of work.
"poison" and should not be consumed too much. Therefore, wine Far from what nowadays’ wine gatherings can ever compare, wine
glasses since the Ming Dynasty became increasingly smaller, the consumption in the past was an embodiment of many mystic,
most famous being the small doucai cups of Chenghua period poetic and artistic possibilities.
(1464-1487) (fig.3). Verses about lavish drinking activities also
dwindled as a result.

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