The Plum Blossom Cup of the Southern Song: for Wine or for Tea?

Abstract According to traditional Chinese aesthetic standards, the porcelain of the Song Dynasty (960–1279) is considered particularly exquisite. The focus of this paper is a cup, shaped like a plum blossom, from the latter part of the Song dynasty, the Southern Song (1127–1279). It is held in the collection of the Palace Museum, Beijing.