NARREKOPP / "TRICK-CUP"

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NARREKOPP / "TRICK-CUP". Kina. Qing, 17/1800-tallet. Dehua, Fujan. Gong Dao Bei. Blanc de chine. Hvitglasert støpt utførelse. Fempas formet, på fem føtter. Utvendig med blomsterblader. I senter en mannsfigur, med fremstilling av de de åtte utdødelige i kinesisk mytologi (The Eight Immortals / Xian). I bunnen av figuren og under koppen et hull. Er man grådig og drikker for mye, vil man søle. For tar man for stor sup vil luft trekke inn i figuren. Når man retter opp skålen vil luftvakuum suge inn væske, og renne ut under og på den som drikker. Bruksspor og noen nag. Stående på dreiet understell. Proveniens: Privat samling, der nåværende eier bl. a. har vært prest/misjonær i Hong Kong 1981-1992. H/Ø: 5/8 cm. Vurdering: 8.000-10.000. Trick Cups / Gong Dao Bei : Trick Cups or `Gong Dao Bei` (`don`t be greedy cup` or `fairness cup`) were wine cups where the wine would drain over the lap of heavy drinker. They illustrate the classical Chinese paradigm that modesty brings gain and arrogance results in loss. If you fill the cup to the top, taking more than your share, every drop will drain out onto your lap through a hole in the bottom, but if you are modest and only fill the cup half full you will be able to drink normally. The earliest cups of this type were made during the Song Dynasty (960-1279) but most are 18th or 19th century. For examples in Blanc de Chine as well as celadon with cobalt-blue and copper-red see our. For more information on trick cups and a description of how they work see : Chinese Puzzles, Games for the Hands and Mind, Traditional Chinese Puzzles from the Yi Zhi Tang Collection (Wei Zhang and Peter Rasmussen, Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco, 2008. ISBN 978-1-58886-101-6) pages 76 and 77. The Eight Immortals / Xian : The Eight Immortals are a group of legendary Xian, immortals or transcendents in Chinese mythology. Each Immortals power can be transferred to a power tool that can give life or destroy evil. Together, these eight tools are called `Covert Eight Immortals`. Most of them are said to have been born in the Tang Dynasty or Song Dynasty. They are revered by the Taoists, and are also a popular element in the secular Chinese culture. They are said to live on Penglai Mountain-Island. The Immortals are : Immortal Woman He (He Xiangu),Royal Uncle Cao (Cao Guojiu),Iron-Crutch Li (LiTieguai),Lan Caihe,Lü Dongbin, (leader)Philosopher Han Xiang (Han Xiang Zi),Elder Zhang Guo(Zhang Guo Lao),and Zhongli Quan.