Floral-shaped cups with pale ivory glaze such as this and the piece with two feet (see 2000-03400) are thought to be the earlier types of Dehua wine cups. Indulging in wine had long been the accepted method amongst the literati for inducing creativity, spontaneity and a heightened sense of identification with the universe. Wine cups often have inscriptions from well-known poems in praise of wine. These are the only indication of whether a cup had been used for wine or tea drinking, as their forms are frequently distinguishable.Dehua, located on the southeast coast of Fujian province, is well known for its production of white porcelain, known to Europeans as 'blanc de Chine'. The earliest Dehua porcelain was produced as early as the 14th century but the production and quality of these porcelain peaked around the 17th and 18th centuries.
