Dayazhai Famille Rose Lotus Cup

Zhang Jian, a master of overglaze enamel and gold-painting technique in Jingdezhen

The famille rose lotus cup was painted by Zhang Jian, a master of overglaze enamel and gold-leaf technique from Jingdezhen. Using porcelain painting techniques, it depicts the grandeur and elegance of lotus in midsummer, capturing the vibrant life of the lotus during its peak season. The green leaves set off the tender pink lotus flowers, as if the fragrance of lotus is wafting through the air, and dragonflies are perched on them.

During the Tang Dynasty, it was popular among literati to use lotus leaves as wine cups: fresh lotus leaves that had just emerged from the water were broken off along with their long stems, used to hold wine, and the wine was drawn from the stem stalks. This shows that literati loved lotus-shaped containers.
The famille rose lotus cup is unique in both color and shape, exuding an ethereal elegance like a fairy and a noble integrity like a scholar.

The lotus is one of the sacred objects revered in Buddhism. After the Buddha's birth, he took seven steps, and with each step, a lotus flower bloomed from the ground. The image of the lotus is ubiquitous in places where Buddhist teachings are spread. During the Northern and Southern Dynasties and the Tang Dynasty, lotus patterns were widely used in various aspects of architecture and everyday decoration.