This 'rhinoceros horn' cup has a cold white glaze and narrative scenes. The scenes comprise applied sprig moulded elements including two figures seated between rocks playing chess under a full moon and clouds, with a single figure on the reverse. These cups have also been referred to as ‘libation’ cups. This is a misnomer derived from the Western classical tradition of pouring vessels used for offering libations to the gods. According to an expert, these cups had a ritual use connected with weddings on the basis of an inscription on one example, but states that they were essentially decorative wares.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.
