National Treasure – Gilt-Silver Wine-Drinking Game Set “The Analects Jade Candle” (Tang Dynasty)

Unearthed at Dingmao Bridge in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu Province in 1982, this gilt-silver turtle carrying a jade candle holding the silver tokens engraved with phrased from the Analects is one of the collection of cultural relics prohibited from export under the 195 Cultural Relics Ordinance.

National Treasures 国宝

Gilt-Silver Wine-Drinking Game Set “The Analects Jade Candle” Atop A Tortoise With Inscribed Drinking Strips 龟负论语玉烛酒筹鎏金银筒

Silverware | Tang dynasty (618-907) | Zhenjiang Museum Collection. 銀器｜唐（公元618年-907年）｜镇江博物馆藏

Gilded Silver Tortoise Carrying “Analects Jade Candle” Wine Game Container is made of silver with all engraved areas are gilded. It consists of a tortoise base and a cylindrical container. The tortoise is depicted with its head raised and tail curved, its back bulging, its limbs retracted, and its five claws firmly planted on the ground.

A double-layered lotus flower is positioned at the center of the tortoise’s back, supporting the cylindrical wine game container. The lid is decorated with rolled-edge lotus leaf patterns, and the top knob is adorned with a lotus flower, resembling a candle flame. The sides of the lid are decorated with wild geese, scrolling grass patterns, and flowing cloud patterns, and the knob is linked to the edge with a silver chain.

The front of the container is engraved with a double-line rectangular frame containing the four characters “Analects Jade Candle,” flanked by a dragon and a phoenix, set against a background of intertwined flowers and leaves and scrolling clouds, with a fish-roe pattern as the background. With its unique shape, rich decoration, and vivid imagery, it is an artistic masterpiece reflecting the high level of gold and silver craftsmanship in the Tang Dynasty.¹

Fifty tokens, made of silver, were unearthed together with the container, all identical in shape and size, rectangular with chamfered edges, tapering to a thin handle at the bottom. Each token has a drinking game phrase engraved on the front, with the characters gilded. They were found inside the container.

The first half of the phrase uses quotes from the Analects of Confucius, while the second half contains the drinking game content, which can be summarised into six drinking methods: “drinking alone,” “drinking with companions,” “persuading others to drink,” “drinking with designated people,” “letting go,” and “setting aside”; and six quantities of alcohol consumed: “five parts (half a cup),” “seven parts,” “ten parts,” “forty parts (four cups),” “drinking at will,” and “letting go.”²

The “Analects Jade Candle” drinking game tubes and tokens were a special game set used by the Tang literati to play drinking games at banquets. Drinking games are a unique way for Chinese people to enhance the enjoyment of drinking.³ From historical records and unearthed artefacts, we can learn about the drinking game protocol of the Tang Dynasty: there were specialised attendants at the banquet (觥录事、律录事、录事和玉烛录事.)⁴

Once the banquet seating was arranged, the guests unanimously elected a 觥录事 “Wine Cup Registrar,” who then determined the order of drawing drinking tokens and appointed three other officials: the Law Registrar 律录事, the Registrar 录事, and the Jade Candle Registrar 玉烛录事, to jointly serve as the banquet’s organisers. The Wine Cup Registrar was the authoritative host of the banquet, a person who was active and respected, in charge of the drinking game flags 旗纛 and responsible for deciding the punishment of violators. The Law Registrar assisted the host, responsible for carrying out the Wine Cup Registrar’s instructions and acting as the enforcer of the drinking games. The Registrars were general service personnel, with no limit on their number. The Jade Candle Registrar was the official in charge of managing the “Analects Jade Candle” drinking game token container.⁵

This set of wine vessels is the highlight of the Dingmao Bridge silverware hoard in Zhenjiang. Its discovery is the first of its kind in China, providing valuable evidence for the study of wine culture in the Tang Dynasty.⁶

Zhenjiang Dingmao Bridge Silverware Hoard 镇江丁卯桥银器窖藏

Of the three major hoards⁷ in Chinese archaeological finds during the PRC era, Dingmao Bridge holds the largest collection in terms of numbers. These artefacts are now part of the Zhenjiang Museum collection, the most previous being the gilt-silver turtle jade candle.

(The following items were all unearthed at Dingmao Bridge and are omitted for clarity.)

Following the An Lushan Rebellion⁸, southern China became a centre for gold and silver ware production. The variety of wares increased, craftsmanship became more sophisticated, designs became more elaborate, and ethnic characteristics became more pronounced. Gold and silver wares from Runzhou 润州 (modern day Zhenjiang) were particularly renowned.

On New Year’s Day 1982, the Dingmao Bridge silver hoard in Zhenjiang was accidentally discovered. After cleaning, 55 kilograms of silver artifacts, totaling 956 pieces, were found. These silver artefacts, all from the late Tang Dynasty, can be categorised into wine vessels, tea sets, ornaments, cosmetics, and medicine sets, exhibiting a complete and diverse range of rich and luxurious items.¹¹

Archaeological discoveries have revealed over 1,100 pieces of Tang Dynasty gold and silver ware in southern China, with approximately 90% of these unearthed from this Dingmao Bridge Hoard. Runzhou’s masterful gold and silver ware production techniques made it a central production area in the south, with many pieces commissioned by the imperial court and bearing the “Lishi” 力士 brand name.¹²

According to Zhenjiang Museum Director Zhang Xiaojun, a total of 956 gold and silver artefacts were unearthed from the Dingmaoqiao Hoard, including wine vases, food containers, storage vessels, and tea sets, dating back to the latter half of the 9th century.¹³

These artefacts demonstrate the open and inclusive tea and wine culture of the Tang Dynasty. During the late Tang period, the way they drank tea was similar to our modern day method, which is to pour boiling water from one of these silver ewers into tea bowls with crushed tea leaves.

Silver fire tongs 银火箸, silver teaspoons 银茶则 and silver tea ladle 银茶勺, which correspond to the tea ceremony tools and methods written in 《茶经》 The Tea Bible by the God of Tea, Lu Yu 陆羽, were found in the hoard. The teaspoon is used to scoop tea leaves into the bowl and tea ladle is used to scope the infused tea onto tea cups. The fire tong is used to stir the charcoal used to boil the water.

First Class Artefact 一级文物

Gilded silver tea box with double phoenix design and lid 鎏金双凤纹带盖大银茶盒

Silver and gilt | Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) | H: 26 cm, D (mouth): 31 cm, D (body): 32 cm, D (base): 25.6 cm | Collection of Zhenjiang Museum. 银、鎏金｜唐（公元618年-907年）｜高26厘米，口径31厘米，腹径32厘米，底径25.6厘米｜镇江博物馆藏

This silver box from the Dingmaoqiao Hoard in Zhenjiang is engraved with eight pairs of flying geese, interspersed with entwined lotus patterns and fish roe designs, creating an exquisite masterpiece. The box is a must-see piece from the Zhenjiang Museum Dingmaoqiao collection.¹⁸ These boxes are believed to be used to hold tea leaves

First Class Artefact 一级文物

Lacquered silver box with double parrots and lotus petal design and lid 漆金双鹦鹉莲瓣纹带盖银盒

Silver and gilt | Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) | D (mouth): 11.4 cm, D (base): 9 cm | Collection of Zhenjiang Museum. 银、鎏金｜唐（公元618年-907年）｜口径11.4厘米，足径9厘米｜镇江博物馆藏

Four gilt silver tea boxes with parrot designs like this one were excavated from the site. Each box has a domed lid with a fitted lid, a straight body that folds down to a flat bottom, and a short foot. The centre of the lid is decorated with a pair of parrots carrying grass in their beaks, surrounded by ten flying geese. Between the parrots is a band of stylized lotus petals, interspersed with lotus scrolls, against a background of fish roe pattern. The body is decorated with a continuous diamond pattern, and the foot rim is adorned with a band of stylised lotus petals.¹⁹

First Class Artefact 一级文物

Gilded gourd-shaped silver lid 涂金瓜形银盖

Silver and gilt | Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) | H: 8 cm, D (mouth): 14.2 cm, Wt: 200 g | Collection of Zhenjiang Museum. 银、鎏金｜唐（公元618—907年）通高8厘米，口径14.2厘米，重200克｜镇江博物馆藏

The lid is hemispherical with a gourd-vine shaped knob. Four scattered floral branches adorn the surface. The characters “力士” (Lishi, meaning “strongman”) are engraved on the inner rim.²⁰

All photos taken at Minhang Museum, Shanghai Nov 2025, unless otherwise noted.

Footnotes :

1. 银鎏金龟负“论语玉烛”酒令筒：银质。刻花处皆鎏金。由龟座和圆柱形筒两部分组成。龟形昂首曲尾，背部隆起，四肢内缩，五爪落地有力。龟背中央设双层仰莲，上承圆柱形酒筹筒。筒盖周饰卷边荷叶纹，顶纽饰莲花，酷似烛芯火焰。盖侧饰以鸿雁及卷草纹、流云纹，盖纽与边沿有银链相扣。筒身正面錾双线长方框，内书“论语玉烛”四字，两边一龙一凤盘绕，衬以缠枝花叶和卷云，以鱼子纹为地，造型别致，纹饰富丽，形象生动，是反映唐代金银器制造水平的艺术精品。 ↩︎
2. 银鎏金酒令筹：银质。同出土50枚，形制大小相同，呈长方形，切角边，下端收拢为细柄状。每枚正面刻写令辞，字内鎏金，出土时盛放于酒令筒内。令辞上半段采用《论语》语句，下半段为酒令内容，可归纳为6种饮酒方法：“自饮”“伴饮”“劝饮”“定人饮”“放”“处”；6种饮酒数量：“五分（半杯）”“七分”“十分”“四十分（四杯）”“随意饮”“放”。 ↩︎
3. 酒令筒，是古人饮宴时用于行酒令的专用器具。酒令，是中国人饮酒时特有的助兴方式。 ↩︎
4. 从文献记载和出土的“论语玉烛”酒令筒、筹，我们可以探析唐人的饮酒行令制度：酒宴上设有执事人，分别为觥录事、律录事、录事和玉烛录事。 ↩︎
5. 酒宴席次坐定，众人公推觥录事，由觥录事决定抽筹次序，指定律录事、录事和玉烛录事，共同担任酒宴的执事人。觥录事是宴席上的权威主持，由活跃且有威望的人担任，掌管酒令旗纛，负责决定对违规者的惩戒。律录事是辅助主持，负责执行觥录事的指令，是酒令游戏的具体执法者。录事，是席间的一般服务人员，数量不限。玉烛录事，是专管“论语玉烛”酒令筹筒的服务人员。 ↩︎
6. 银鎏金龟负“论语玉烛”酒令筒：银质。刻花处皆鎏金。由龟座和圆柱形筒两部分组成。龟形昂首曲尾，背部隆起，四肢内缩，五爪落地有力。龟背中央设双层仰莲，上承圆柱形酒筹筒。筒盖周饰卷边荷叶纹，顶纽饰莲花，酷似烛芯火焰。盖侧饰以鸿雁及卷草纹、流云纹，盖纽与边沿有银链相扣。筒身正面錾双线长方框，内书“论语玉烛”四字，两边一龙一凤盘绕，衬以缠枝花叶和卷云，以鱼子纹为地，造型别致，纹饰富丽，形象生动，是反映唐代金银器制造水平的艺术精品。
   银鎏金酒令筹：银质。同出土50枚，形制大小相同，呈长方形，切角边，下端收拢为细柄状。每枚正面刻写令辞，字内鎏金，出土时盛放于酒令筒内。令辞上半段采用《论语》语句，下半段为酒令内容，可归纳为6种饮酒方法：“自饮”“伴饮”“劝饮”“定人饮”“放”“处”；6种饮酒数量：“五分（半杯）”“七分”“十分”“四十分（四杯）”“随意饮”“放”。
   酒令筒，是古人饮宴时用于行酒令的专用器具。
   酒令，是中国人饮酒时特有的助兴方式。
   龟负“论语玉烛”酒筹筒及酒令筹，是一套完整精美的唐代酒具，莲花具有佛教文化的含义；龟负，饱含道教的意旨；《论语》是儒教的经典之作；“玉烛”原是唐人对白蜡烛的雅称，后又泛指酒令筹筒；酒令筹筒内装的五十根酒令筹上的令辞均选自《论语》，是谓“一部《论语》，万人酒酣”。
   从文献记载和出土的“论语玉烛”酒令筒、筹，我们可以探析唐人的饮酒行令制度：酒宴上设有执事人，分别为觥录事、律录事、录事和玉烛录事。
   酒宴席次坐定，众人公推觥录事，由觥录事决定抽筹次序，指定律录事、录事和玉烛录事，共同担任酒宴的执事人。觥录事是宴席上的权威主持，由活跃且有威望的人担任，掌管酒令旗纛，负责决定对违规者的惩戒。律录事是辅助主持，负责执行觥录事的指令，是酒令游戏的具体执法者。录事，是席间的一般服务人员，数量不限。玉烛录事，是专管“论语玉烛”酒令筹筒的服务人员。
   1982年元旦，镇江丁卯桥银器窖藏被偶然发现，经清理，发现银器55公斤，达956件。这批银器，均为晚唐遗物，可分为酒器、茶器、饰品、妆具和药具，种类齐全多样，富丽繁华。迄今为止，中国南方共出土唐代金银器1100余件，镇江丁卯桥银器窖藏以956件的总数而称南方之最，与西安何家村、扶风法门寺地宫，并称为中国唐代三大金银器窖藏。
   这套酒具是镇江丁卯桥银器窖藏的点睛之笔，其出土在国内尚属首次，为研究我国唐代酒文化提供了珍贵的佐证。https://www.szmuseum.com/Wap/News/Details/7ca6e447-e6f2-4535-bb84-10af43e6b666, accessed 4 Feb 2026 ↩︎
7. 宝鸡法门寺地宫、西安何家村窖藏及镇江丁卯桥窖藏 ↩︎
8. The An Lushan rebellion was a civil war in China that lasted from 755 to 763, at the approximate midpoint of the Tang dynasty. It began as a commandery rebellion attempting to overthrow and replace the Tang government with the rogue Yan dynasty. ↩︎
9. 银酒瓮 
   通高55厘米，口径26厘米，底径29.3厘米
   　　覆盆式盖，上置蘑菇状钮，盖边与瓮口有链环相连，锁失；瓮直口，广肩，鼓腹，平底。底中部刻楷书“酒瓮壹口并盖(suǒ，同“锁”)子等共重贰佰陆拾肆两柒钱”。“子”是指衔接盖之链。唐代每两合今37.3克，银酒瓮实重9873.31克。 ↩︎
10. 银高足杯
    素面，高14.8厘米，口径14.5厘米，圈足8.6厘米。五曲形，深腹，圈足，足内刻有“力士”二字。腹外饰突棱一周。据有关专家考证，此杯是酒器中与酒筹配合使用的“觥盏”，其形制独特，迄今为止仍属孤例 ↩︎
11. 1982年元旦，镇江丁卯桥银器窖藏被偶然发现，经清理，发现银器55公斤，达956件。这批银器，均为晚唐遗物，可分为酒器、茶器、饰品、妆具和药具，种类齐全多样，富丽繁华。迄今为止，中国南方共出土唐代金银器1100余件，镇江丁卯桥银器窖藏以956件的总数而称南方之最，与西安何家村、扶风法门寺地宫，并称为中国唐代三大金银器窖藏。 ↩︎
12. “安史之乱”后，南方成为金银器制作中心，器类增多，工艺高超，纹样华美，民族色彩浓厚，尤以镇江(时称润州)所制金银器最为著名。据考古发现，全部南方唐代金银器的总数达1100余件，而镇江出土的唐代窖藏银器占其中的九成左右，堪称我国南方之最。润州炉火纯青的金银器制作工艺使其成为南方中心产地，制品多供奉皇室，并錾刻“力士”名牌商标。http://collection.sina.com.cn/tqfx/20130617/1201116985.shtml?from=wap ↩︎
13. Showcasing a dynamic era. By Deng Zhangyu | China Daily | Updated: 2024-12-19 06:22. https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202412/19/WS67634b3aa310f1265a1d3a3e_5.html, accessed 5 Feb 2026 ↩︎
14. 茶瓶
    塔形盖，盖钮呈宝珠形，侈口，束颈，弧腹，矮圈足，肩部设长流及把。底部有“力士”二字。通高25.4厘米，口径6.6厘米，底径8.4厘米。晚唐时，一种新的饮茶方法兴起，即以茶瓶中煮沸的水冲点放在碗中的茶末，称为点茶。点茶最重要的器具是茶瓶，即执壶，此壶既用于煮汤，又用于点茶。蔡襄《茶录》云：“汤瓶，瓶要小者易候汤，又点茶注汤有准……” ↩︎
15. 火箸(火筴，jiā)
    如同筷子，上部刻“力士”二字。长32厘米。火箸唐时称火筴。唐代煮茶使用炭火风炉，离不开夹木炭的火筴。《茶经》云：“火筴，一名箸，若常用者，圆直一尺三寸。顶平截，无葱台勾(suǒ)之属，以铁或熟铜制之。” ↩︎
16. 茶则(茶匙)
    长33厘米。侧面作铲形，近椭圆，长扁柄稍曲。柄背面刻“力士”二字。茶则，名曰茶匙，为量器。茶末入釜，要用茶则来量取。《茶经》：“则，以海贝、蛎蛤之属，或以铜、铁、竹、匕策之类。则者，量也，准也，度也。凡煮水一升，用末方寸匕，若好薄者，减之，嗜浓者，增之，故云则也。”上述文字清楚地说明了茶则的用途。茶则不仅是量器，而且在点茶时还用以击拂、搅拌汤花使茶末溶于汤中。 ↩︎
17. 茶勺
    勺面作半球形，长扁柄稍曲。柄背面刻“力士”二字。长26厘米。陆羽《茶经·四之器》中没有专门提及茶勺，《茶经·五之煮》中有云：“凡酌，置诸碗，令沫饽匀。”说明茶煮好之后是用勺从茶釜中将茶汤舀出，再入茶碗中饮用。 ↩︎
18. 鎏金双凤纹带盖大银茶盒 两件。高26厘米，口径31厘米，腹径32厘米，底径25.6厘米。四出莲瓣形。直腹，腹下内收，喇叭形圈足；盖面弧凸，以子母口扣合。盖面捶刻凸花，以衔草双凤纹为主体，边缘刻8对相向的飞雁，间以缠枝莲及鱼子纹；腹下刻一圈牡丹花，圈足上刻有鸿雁，足边沿饰莲瓣纹。外底刻“力士”“伍拾肆两壹钱贰字”铭。另出土两件盒底，一件四出莲瓣形，中心刻折枝花一朵，周围装饰4只鹦鹉，刻花处皆鎏金。一件四出莲瓣形，底面刻一龙纹，脚下流云一朵，刻花处鎏金，底径24厘米。 ↩︎
19. 鎏金鹦鹉纹银茶盒 4件。圆顶盖，子母口，直腹下折成平底，矮圈足，口径11.4厘米，足径9厘米。盖面中心捶刻一对衔草鹦鹉，周围装饰飞雁10只，两者之间为一圈变体莲瓣纹带，以缠枝莲花相间，鱼子纹衬底，腹部以菱形连续纹样装饰，圈足沿饰变体莲瓣纹带。 ↩︎
20. – 折枝花纹半球形银器盖 –
    唐（公元618—907年）
    通高8，口径14.2厘米，重200克
    1982年元旦江苏镇江丁卯桥银器窖藏出土
    镇江博物馆藏
    描述
    银质。刻花处鎏金。半球形，瓜蔓形钮。盖面散点饰折枝花四朵。内口沿錾刻“力士”二字。
    丁卯桥窖藏银器中140多件器物的底部、侧面或者不显眼的位置，錾刻着规整的楷书“力士”铭文，有学者认为“力士”是唐代成套高档酒具的称号；有学者认为，“力士”表示器物坚固结实、质量上乘；亦有学者认为“力士”二字，可能是工匠或作坊的名字，有名牌商标的含义。 ↩︎