Yue Kiln Bird Cup

[Yue Kiln Bird Cup]

Yue Kiln Bird Cup, five generations, height 5.8 cm, caliber 7.3 cm, foot diameter 4.9 cm
The bird-shaped cup imitates the style of the bronze ware of the Han Dynasty, with the open mouth slightly closed, the arc wall gradually closed, and the high circle foot curled outward. The outer wall of the cup is pasted with a bird, its head is higher than the cup mouth, its wings are extended, and the opposite part is decorated with a bird tail as a handle. Both inside and outside are painted with blue glaze, the color of the glaze is green and slightly yellow, and the glaze surface has small split patterns. The bird body is carved with lines and dots, and the bird tail is carved with straight lines
Yue kiln is one of the earliest porcelain kilns in China. Kiln sites are located in Yuyao and Cixi, Zhejiang. The Tang Dynasty was under the jurisdiction of Yue State, so it was called Yue Kiln. Yue kiln began in the Eastern Han Dynasty and reached its peak in the Tang and Five Dynasties. It mainly fired celadon and formed a unique style, becoming a famous celadon kiln in the south. The objects burned are rich in shape, dignified and beautiful in pattern, delicate in texture, green and slightly yellow in glaze, moist and thick in glaze, like ice and jade. Lu Meng, a famous poet of the Tang Dynasty, once praised: “The wind of the ninth autumn opens over the kiln, capturing the green color of the thousand peaks.”
This cup is novel and unique in shape, and the birds decorated are lifelike. It is not only a practical utensil, but also a work of art for viewing. Its unique aesthetic mood is thought-provoking. Similar artifacts are also collected in Zhejiang Provincial Museum.