In ancient times, only kings and emperors were allowed to eat out of golden rice bowls with golden chopsticks and spoons. As such, it became a strong symbol of prosperity and power.
Gold Bowl with Mandarin Duck and Lotus Pattern No.1 鸳鸯莲瓣纹金碗（九两半）
Gold | Tang Dynasty (618-997) | Dimensions – H: 5.5cm, D (bowl): 13.7cm, D (base): 6.8cm, Wt: 392g | Shaanxi History Museum, Excavated from Hejiacun, Xian City in 1970. 金器｜唐（公元618年一公元997年）｜高5.5厘米，口径13.7厘米，足径6.8厘米，重392克｜陕西历史博物馆，1970年西安市何家村唐代窖藏出土
Two of these gold bowls were found together in the same urn that kept all those Tang relics in Hejia Village 何家村. They were almost identical to the naked eyes, except of the writings that indicated their weights inside the bowls using calligraphy ink.
The bowls were made by pounding gold foils on templates to produce the patterns. The outside of the bowl is decorated with flowing lotus petal pattern 莲瓣纹 in two rows, with 10 petals in each row. Each petal is engraved with different animals like mandarin duck 鸳鸯, wild duck 野鸭, parrot 鹦鹉, fox 狐狸, etc. on the top row, and honeysuckle flowers 忍冬花 on the second row.
Gold Bowl with Mandarin Duck and Lotus Pattern No.2 鸳鸯莲瓣纹金碗（九两三）
Gold | Tang Dynasty (618-997) | Dimensions – H: 5.6cm, D (bowl): 13.5cm, D (base): 6.8cm, Wt: 391g | Shaanxi History Museum, Excavated from Hejiacun, Xian City in 1970. 金器｜唐（公元618年一公元997年）｜高5.6厘米，口径13.5厘米，足径6.8厘米，重391克｜陕西历史博物馆，1970年西安市何家村唐代窖藏出土
Usually silver is used to make drinking vessels. However, the bowl looked like the bowl depicting in the Gold-decorated Silver Kettle with the Pattern of a Dancing Horse 鎏金舞马衔杯纹银壶. In Tang literature like “Tang Chronicles of Events” 《唐摭言》recorded the scene when a tray of gold bowls were used to serve wine to the residents when they played among the alleys in an ancient football match 蹴鞠. So scholars believe that these bowls were drinking vessels.
“王源中，文宗时为翰林承旨学土。暇日与诸昆季蹴鞠于太平里第，球子击起，误中源中之额，薄有所损。俄有急召，比至，上讶之，源中具以上闻。上日：‘卿大雍睦！’遂赐酒两盘，每盘贮十金碗，每碗容一升许，宣令并碗赐之。源中饮之无余，略无醉态。”
唐末五代南昌人王定保撰《唐摭言》卷十五载
Foreign Techniques, Tang Aesthetics
With the typical Tang-dynasty artistic style, the bowl body features an ample and
dignified form with smooth and magnificent patterns. Along the side of the bowl, its craftsmanship of petal designs in foil layers originated from Greece and Rome as early as 6th century BC. Due to frequent exchanges between China and the West, exotic gold and silver wares and craftsmen came to China which brought tremendous impacts to Chinese craftsmanship.
There appeared a blend of traditional Chinese aesthetics and Western styles which exemplifies an open and innovative Tang Dynasty, most probably from Sogdian silversmiths that came to China in the 5th-6th centuries. These gold bowls may be royal wine vessel given the exquisite craftsmanship and purity of gold used; they are the most magnificent golden bowls discovered so far.
The two bowls are identical in every way except for the weights. Bowl No.1 indicated 九两半 or 9 taels 5 qians, and taking the Tang standards which a tael is equivalent to the modern 41.3g, the bowl is 392g exactly as written. But Bowl No.2 is 391g, but written as 九两三 or 384g – not sure why but if the bowls were sold by weight, the owner would have gotten a bargain.
The Treasures from Tang Dynasty Excavated in Hejia Village Cellar
The cellar in Hejia Village, Xi’an, was excavated in October 1970, and is famous for its large number of cultural relics from Tang Dynasty. It is also one of the most important archeological discoveries in the 20th century of the Sui and Tang Dynasties. These precious artefacts are rich in information, revealing the life of the Tang Dynasty from many angles and levels, such as politics, economy, thought, culture, art, customs, skills, etc.
Gilt Parrot Pattern Silver Jar with Handle 鎏金鹦鹉纹提梁银罐
Silver | Tang Dynasty (618-997) | Dimensions – H: 24.2cm, D (top): 12.4cm, D (base): 14.3cm | Shaanxi History Museum, Excavated from Hejiacun, Xian City in 1970. 银器｜唐（公元618年一公元997年）｜高24.2，口径12.4，足径14.3厘米｜陕西历史博物馆，1970年西安市何家村唐代窖藏出土
This silver jar uncovered in the excavation is similar to the jar that was placed next to the urn. In that jar was another National Treasure – Agate Rhyton Inlaid With Gold Plug 镶金兽首玛瑙杯. The golden bowls were found in the second urn buried in the ground. They were most likely buried that when the owner was escaping the civil war unrests that were happening in Chang’an.
About Chinese National Treasure Series
中華國寶系列 Chinese National Treasure series feature specific artefacts and relics from museums all around the world that are historically significant to be considered a National Treasure. The series covers the 5,000 years of Chinese civilisation from Neolithic periods before the Xia dynasty (c. 2070-1600 BC) to modern day.
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