Detail View: National Palace English: A jade horn goblet

Work ID: 
M01C00160
Title: 
A jade horn goblet
Creation Date: 
Han Dynasty
Start Year Date: 
B.C.206
End Year Date: 
A.D.220
Dynasty: 
12 Han Dynasty (206 B.C.~A.D.220)
Creation Place: 
China
Measurements: 
Height: 18.3cm; Width: 8.3cm
Material: 
Jade
Form: 
Bei (cup)
Type: 
Jades and Other Precious Stones
Subject: 
Dragon
Repository: 
The National Palace Museum, Taipei
Description: 
The rim is carved with a decorative band that renders interlocking cloud patterns in low relief. The center is an abbreviated beast carved in low relief, and the nose points down.A dragon is carved on the walls, and the dragonhead is carved in heavy relief. It stretches its jaws and eyes, and the horns hook at the end. Between the horns is a tuft of whiskers. The dragon surrounds the goblet, and two limbs stretch from the body, with one to the left and the other to the right, half way down the down the goblet. Towards the bottom, the dragon coils into a spiral, and it is decorated with fine incisions. From there, it springs up and leads to the tail, which also has the fine incisions. At about one-third of the goblet, the tail curls downward again. It is carved in heavy relief, thereby forming a coiling tail beyond the walls of the goblet, and the claws of the forelimbs grasp the tail. Thus, the head meets its tail, and the dragon is carved in detail. In sum, the dragon is vivacious, nimble, and powerful.
ImageV ID: 
M01C00160AS001
Rights: 
Lee & Lee Communications