It was thought to be made in China, but it turned out to be a traded item most probably from ancient Syria that made its way to olden days Liaoning in the Northeastern end of China.1
Duck-Shaped Glass Water Dropper 鸭形玻璃注
Glass | 7th Year of Taiping (415), Northern Yan Dynasty (407/409–436) of the Sixteen Kingdoms | Unearthed at Feng Sufu’s Northern Yan Tomb at Beipiao, Liaoning | Liaoning Provincial Museum Collection. 玻璃｜十六国北燕太平七年（415年）｜长20.5厘米，腹径5.2厘米｜北票西官营子北燕冯素弗墓出土｜辽宁省博物馆藏2
A light green glass vessel, dating to the Sixteen Kingdoms (304-439), is blown into a duck shape. It looks exquisite decorated with additional glass strips. What makes it unique: Only when half filled with water can the vessel stand firmly on the table. This design reminds its owner to keep humble.3
Excavated from the tomb of Feng Sufu 冯素弗, prime minister of Northern Yan (407-436), in Beipiao city, Liaoning province, the glass vessel was crafted by the Romans and is evidence of East-West exchanges during the time. It is part of the permanent collection of the Liaoning Provincial Museum.4
A dynastic state of China during the era of Sixteen Kingdoms, Northern Yan is believed to be founded by either Gao Yun 高雲5 (r. 407 – 409), aka Murong Yun 慕容雲, a member of the Goguryeo royal family, or Feng Ba 馮跋6 (r. 409–430) of Han ethnicity. The Northern Yan inherited what was left of the preceding Later Yan regime (384-409), whose territory occupied western Liaoning and parts of northeastern Hebei. It was eventually conquered by Northern Wei in 436.
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.
Footnotes :
- 鸭形玻璃注的材质是当时中国尚不能生产的钠钙玻璃，产于今地中海沿岸叙利亚一带，须辗转经由西域通过柔然，传入北燕。因此，鸭形玻璃注是研究中国古代草原丝绸之路的重要物证，其造型生动别致，在早期玻璃器中十分罕见。具有重要的历史和艺术价值。https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-sg/鸭形玻璃注, accessed 23 Dec 2025 ↩︎
- 淡绿色玻璃质 状似鸭凫 张口鼓腹细尾 颈部装饰齿纹 腹部塑贴不规则曲线代表翅与足 另贴有圆形玻璃 可立于平面之上 倾向于认为是欹器 （欹器用途和座右铭类似 是提醒不要自满的一种容器 是要借欹器 虚则欹 中则正 满则覆 的特点 提醒万事都要采取中庸之道） ↩︎
- 器物铭文： 始于春秋时期，鲁桓公用“欹器”警示自己“虚则欹，中则正，满则覆”，孔子也仿制。《荀子·宥坐》记载，欹器是皇帝用来置于座右以为戒的容器，若注水“满则覆，中则正，虚则欹”，其功用相当于今人“座右铭”。 ↩︎
- Duck-shaped glass vessel is evidence of East-West exchanges in 5th century, China Daily,
Updated: Jul 19, 2022. https://govt.chinadaily.com.cn/s/202207/19/WS62d64f15498ea2749279de06/duck-shaped-glass-vessel-is-evidence-of-east-west-exchanges-in-5th-century.html, accessed 23 Dec 2025 ↩︎ - Gao Yun was a descendant of the royal house of Goguryeo (Gaogouli), whose ancestors were captured by the Former Yan dynasty. He was adopted into the Later Yan imperial house after helping Murong Bao (Emperor Huimin) put down a rebellion by Murong Bao’s son Murong Hui. Gao Yun became emperor after the people rebelled against the despotic rule of his adoptive uncle Murong Xi (Emperor Zhaowen), and during his reign, he used the title “Heavenly King”. In 409, he was assassinated, and after a disturbance, was replaced by his ethnic Han general Feng Ba (Emperor Wencheng). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gao_Yun_(emperor), accessed 23 Dec 2025 ↩︎
- Feng Ba became monarch after Gao Yun (Emperor Huiyi), whom he supported in a 407 coup that overthrew Murong Xi (Emperor Zhaowen), was assassinated in 409. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feng_Ba, accessed 23 Dec 2025 ↩︎
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