Jin'ou Yonggu Cup

The Jin'ou Yonggu Cup was used to hold Tusu wine during the "pen-opening" ceremony held on Chinese New Year in the Qing Dynasty. When ringing out the old year and ringing in the new year, the emperor poured Tusu wine, which was believed to have the power to expel evil, into the cup and placed it on a desk in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. He then wrote good wishes for the coming year, praying for prosperity and peace.

The cup is adorned with intertwining baoxiang flowers, a pattern created based on a combination of lotus and peony, with the flower cores inlaid with pearls, rubies, and sapphires. The cup's handles on both sides are shaped like dragons, each carrying a pearl on its head.

The three legs are designed into downward elephant heads, with curled trunks supporting it on the ground. On one side of the cup mouth is engraved with the seal-script Chinese characters "金甌永固" (jin'ou yonggu, meaning "the golden goblet remains strong forever") and the other side with "乾隆年制" ("Made in Emperor Qianlong's reign").

In fact, the cup was crafted during the reign of Emperor Jiaqing (1796-1820). Given that Qianlong remained in charge of state affairs as a retired emperor after his abdication, the imperial palace still used his reign title. This is why the cup is inscribed with "Made in Emperor Qianlong's reign".

Four such cups have survived to the present day. Of the other three, one is housed in the Palace Museum in Taipei, and the other two in the Wallace Collection in London.

The Jin'ou Yonggu Cup symbolizes territorial integrity and national prosperity. With symbolic significance, ingenious design, and gorgeous decorations, it is a unique royal treasure in the collection of the Palace Museum.

金甌永固杯

金甌永固杯是清宮舉行元旦開筆儀式時(shí)專門用來盛放“屠蘇酒”的器具。除夕子夜，元旦伊始，皇帝將可祛惡避邪的“屠蘇酒”注入杯中，陳于養(yǎng)心殿案上，題寫新年吉語(yǔ)，祈愿國(guó)泰民安。

杯身鏨滿纏枝寶相花紋，花心以珍珠及紅、藍(lán)寶石等鑲嵌而成。兩側(cè)為夔龍形杯耳，龍頭頂珠。杯有三足，呈象首式，頭朝下，鼻撐地。杯口一面刻篆書“金甌永固”，另一面刻“乾隆年制”。制作此杯時(shí)，已是嘉慶年間，但退位后的乾隆皇帝以太上皇身份臨朝理政，宮內(nèi)仍沿用乾隆年號(hào)，所以此杯上依然署“乾隆”年款。傳世的金甌永固杯共四件，另三件其中一件藏于臺(tái)北故宮博物院，另外兩件藏于倫敦華萊士典藏館。

金甌象征國(guó)土完整、國(guó)家繁榮。“金甌永固杯”憑借美好的寓意和精巧的造型、華麗的裝飾，成為故宮博物院獨(dú)具皇家特色的瑰寶。