As Chinese saying goes, “a person can live without food, but not without drinks.” “Drink more water” is also becoming a frequent greeting in China.

In modern China, there are a variety of drinking jars. Are you wondering what the ancient Chinese drinking jar is like?

The leaf was probably one of water bottles before the flood. People used it to load the water for drinking.

(Eggshell Black Pottery Cup with High Stem)

The earliest jar we saw today was fired with clay. One of the featured representatives was the eggshell black pottery cup with high stem from Longshan culture sites in Neolithic Ages, now it is kept in museum of Shandong province. The upper part is the wide mouth along the cup body, and the middle part is the handle, and the bottom is the cup body with delicate piercing engraving. The cup is as a beautiful budding flower from a distance. The careful design in many details is considered as the highest level of drinking utensil at that time.

(Lotus and Crane Rectangular Jar)

Lotus and crane rectangular jar was one of featured bronze drinking wares in the late spring and autumn period. (770B.C.-476B.C.)   It was used for store water and wine. On its cover decorated with two layers of openwork lotus petals, a fluttering and singing crane was standing in the midddle. The jar's four sides were mainly decorated with coiled dragons. While a big dragon-shaped ear was on each flank of the jar, a flying dragon was cast on each corner of its belly. Two lying tigers lay under the circular leg to support the vessel.

The lacquer drinking bowl was appeared in warring states period. It was a very labor-intensive and a very tedious process. The extraction of the sap of the lacquer tree is followed by all sorts of procedures. After dehydration by exposing in the sun, it was mixed with tung oil, cured and then applied successive layers to a wooden core and painted decoratively and final polished to be a beautiful piece. Hardly surprising, the lacquer drinking bowl was very inordinately expensive. And it was strictly reserved for top management, the imperial governor.

(Gree Graze Pot from Kongyi Kiln)

During the Han and Tang dynasties, lacquer ware was replaced by ceramic. The green graze pot from Kongyi kiln was 5.8cm high, Dia 3.3cm top, Dia 3.9cm foot. The pot was open, lip was round, neck was short, and bottom was flat. A sprout was placed in one side and the handle in the other side. Each circular decoration was at the upper and lower ends of the handle. And glaze was not for the whole and a small part exposed the body was white.

(Lotus Bud Jar)

This jar of "lotus bud" was a piece of work in Song dynasty. It forms rests on a wide, unglazed, knife-cut foot rim revealing the buff-colored stoneware from which it is potted. Faint finger grooves by the potter can be detected where the black glaze has collected on the encircling ridges. Ceramics glazed all over in dark brown or black presented a challenge to the decorator and a variety of innovative techniques were devised to enliven these dark wares. 

Looking back to the dedicate drinking wares, we are thankful to those masters in devoting their whole life to creating and manufacturing. It is a pity that most common people could not use the products of their labor. 

In modern times, we common people have a variety of choices in drinking jars. Ceramic is beautiful but heavy. Glass and plastic may be the best choices.  Chahua Modern Housewares Co.,Ltd. is specializing in providing quality and safe glass jars for you and your family.