Page 57 - Bonhams Scholars Art and Instruments Hong Kong December 2, 2021

The wine was believed to be able to inspire Chinese scholars in 銀鎏金，杯錘揲成菊瓣形，兩側安靈芝耳，背身鏨刻山水高士遊戲圖，矮
composing poems and articles. In one of the most famous elegant 圈足，盤成七瓣委角花口形，折沿，口沿鏨刻卷草紋一周，盤心其菊瓣
gatherings in Chinese history, the ‘Lanting Gathering’ of 353 CE, forty- 臺，盤面鏨刻高士訪友圖，兩杯紋飾相近，應為原對。
two literati had engaged in a drinking contest: rice-wine cups were
floated down a small winding creek as the men sat along its banks; 盤面所刻高士頭戴烏紗帽，手指頂端太陽，寓意「指日高升」。文人雅集
whenever a cup stopped, the man closest to the cup was required 飲酒最重要的典故當屬六朝時期的蘭亭雅集。是日少長咸集，流觴曲
to empty it and write a poem. This was known as 流觴曲水 liushang 水，留下詩作三十七篇以及書法典範《蘭亭集序》。彼時流行的酒杯當是
qushui (floating goblets in the winding river). In the end, twenty-six of 戰漢以來的漆質羽觴杯，蓋當時所飲當為米酒。元明之後，蒸餾酒日趨
the participants’ composed thirty-seven poems, which was refaced 流行，因酒精濃度較高，酒杯容量亦趨減少。本對拍品形制雖承宋元，但
by Wang Xizhi and known as Lanting ji xu (Prefaced to the Poems 是體量小巧，正是為當時蒸餾酒所備。
Composed at the Orchid Pavilion).
可比較一組類似的明代銀鎏金靈芝耳酒杯，惟無座，見《中國金銀玻璃
Distilled wine with higher alcohol by volume had become more popular 琺瑯全集》，石家莊，2004年，編號267；同時參考兩件類似形制類似的
during the Ming Dynasty, accordingly wine cups had been adjusted to 明代銀盞托，見前書，編號281及282。
a smaller size during this time. Compare with a set of gilt-silver cups
with similar design and size but without stands, Ming Dynasty, which
are illustrated in the Zhongguo jinyin boli falangqi quanji (Complete
Collection of Chinese Gold, Silver, Glass and Cloisonné Wares),
Shijiazhuang, 2004, no.267. Compare also with two related silver
stands, also of lobbed heptagonal form, Ming Dynasty, see ibid, no.
281 and 282.