0005 - Jingdezhen Porcelain. The nine-dragon-pattern cup-an imitated antiqu...Front

Jingdezhen Porcelain. The nine-dragon-pattern cup-an imitated antique porcelain produced in Jingdezhen. This sort of cup first made its appearance in China 700 or 800 years ago in the Song Dynasty, when the theory of siphonage started to be introduced into porcelain production. This cup has a dragon standing in its centre with a small hole beneath the dragon head. When the water in the cup remains below the hole, not a drop will leak out. However, if the water goes over the hole, all the liquid in the cup will run off from its bottom, Photo by You Yungu.