The eight-lobed silver cup

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The eight-lobed silver cup: Hunting and leisure in Tang, East and West in one vessel

This eight-lobed gilt silver cup with carvings of men in hunting and women sightseeing was discovered in Hejiacun Village, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. The upper part of the cup's exterior is divided into eight sections by borders shaped like willow leaves, while the lower part rests on eight upturned lotus petals. The cup's primary decorative scheme unfolds across these eight exterior panels, where four dynamic hunting scenes of noblemen alternate with four serene leisure scenes of palace ladies, together evoking vignettes from the daily lives of Tang Dynasty aristocrats.

Moreover, this silver cup stands as a precious artifact embodying the cultural exchange and fusion between Tang China and foreign lands: its "handled cup" form originates from the Sogdian region, while decorative elements such as the deer motif on the thumb rest and the makara fish motif on the inner bottom also bear clear marks of non-native influence.

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The eight-lobed silver cup: Hunting and leisure in Tang, East and West in one vessel