Wine Cups (Jue)

Wine and food played a major role in ritual offerings to the ancestral spirits and the Supreme Ancestor (Shangdi) performed by the Shang rulers in the state cult of ancestor worship. A variety of wine vessels—each type given a specific name—was cast to bear witness to the power and artistic vitality of this remote civilization.

This example of a <em>jue</em> wine cup is for libations. Other major types of wine vessels include <em>jia</em> (wine warming vessel), <em>fangyou</em> (square wine container), and <em>gu</em> (beaker with a trumpeted mouth for pouring).