Tibet, 18th century
Dimensions: Height: 11 cm , Diameter: 12 cm
Partially gilded silver teacup and pagoda-shaped lid, from 18th century Tibet. The gilded and silver parts are clearly separated, all richly decorated. The underside of the cup is hollow, there are animal images (e.g. qilin, phoenix) among the lotus flowers on the sides. A flared, plate-like mouth with 8 gilded immortals. The lid has three tiers: Buddhist treasures on the lower part, then animals (tiger, phoenix) on the middle part, and figures of people riding and cooking on the upper part.
The 8 immortals
Prominent figures in Chinese mythology who possess various abilities and are often worshipped as deities. According to mythology, the power of each of these immortals can be poured into a vessel to defeat evil and create life. They are Taoists by religion, dating from around the Tang Dynasty and their fame has led to numerous paintings, sculptures and carvings of their group. They have also appeared in literature: the most famous play associated with them is The Yellow-Millet Dream, in which Lü Dongbin, then not yet immortal, meets Zhongli Quan, who guides him on the path to immortality.
