AD 821-907 (Mu Zong to Ai Zont's reign in the Tang dynasty)
Height 3.5 cm, Mouth Diameter 10-14. cm, Weight 122.2 g
Excavated in Sanmenxia, Henan Province, 1985

This cup is in the shape of a Chinese flowering crab apple. It has a slightly broad mouth with an inward-slanting body. The zhan was hammered out to produce its current shape, its designs were evenly chiselled and it is also decorated with gold paint. Inside the cup, two protruding ridges form four corners, while two fishes surrounded by lotus flowers gambol in the base of the cup against a background of water and wave patterns. The left and right sides feature two matching calling geese,which soar amidst curled grass designs against a backdrop of fish roe marks. The rim is decorated with flame patters. The outside and base of the body are welded together, connected to an oval ring foot. The outside of the vessel is undecorated.

This zhan cup was produced using various techniques, including carving, welding, gilding, burnishing and impressing. This work is exemplary for its beautiful design and decoration. Moreover, it is an allegory for the quest for good fortune. It is without question a reflection of the harmonious integration of form and content in Tang dynasty decorative arts, as well as the highly developed decorative craftsmanship of that period.

During Tang dynasty, frequent cultural exchanges between Tang and other countries were attributed to Tang’s thriving economy and high living standards people enjoyed, which resulted in the importation of the gold and silver products from the western countries, and they were much acclaimed amongst the imperial families and aristocrats, which exerted  great influence on the shapes and craftsmanship of the gold and silver wine cups of the Tang dynasty. This silver wine cup is a typical representative of the blending of Chinese and Western cultures at that time, as well a silverware produced with its own characteristics after assimilating the western cultures.