This jade cup was used by a bride and groom on their wedding day in classical China and dates to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It is 9.9 cm tall and 8.4 cm in diameter and is in the Palace Museum in Beijing. It consists of two connected cylinders, meaning the newly-weds will never be separated. Between the two there is an eagle, with a bear lying beneath. The Chinese for ‘eagle’ and ‘bear’ is ying xiong, which is a homophone of the word for ‘hero’. This type of vessel was quite popular during the Ming Dynasty.

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