Lacquer-studded Phoenix Silver Pot

Made by Li Fuming, inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of silver forging techniques, from Dayatang. Capacity: approx. 1000 ml; Weight: approx. 620 grams.

The phoenix motif is one of the decorative patterns on ancient bronze ware. The divine phoenix is ​​a very traditional Chinese motif. In mythology, it is the king of birds, the most beautiful of all feathered creatures, and is followed by hundreds of other birds when it flies, thus revered as the king of birds. In the minds of the ancients, the phoenix was an auspicious bird. It was prevalent from the Shang Dynasty to the early Western Zhou Dynasty.

The Shuowen Jiezi (a dictionary of Chinese characters) states: "The phoenix is ​​a divine bird. Tian Lao said: 'The phoenix has the appearance of a swan in front and a deer behind, a snake's neck and a fish's tail, cheekbones and forehead like a mandarin duck, dragon patterns on its back, a tortoise's back, a swallow's jaw and a chicken's beak, and all five colors are present. It comes from the land of virtuous gentlemen in the east, soars beyond the four seas, passes Kunlun, drinks from the Dipu River, washes its feathers in the Ruoshui River, and never rests in the Fengxue Cave. When it is seen, the world is at peace.'"

This teapot has an antique design, with a large lacquer handle; a vermilion and gold lacquer handle; and an old rattan handle; an elegant object for the tea room.