The “Chupu” is a covered jar with no handles or side knobs. It is also referred to as “Katmau” or “Himcheng”. This piece carries the shop mark “Zhou Shun Xing zao”. It has steep walls, a tapering base and a wide mouth with a bevelled rim. A high domed cover is fitted over it with an inverted light green conical finial. The cover and body are decorated with an emerald green quatrefoil medallion enclosing a bright rose pink peony spray. This is set against a light green background, which symbolises youth and spring. Motifs of rose pink peony blossoms and butterflies fill the piece. Peonies symbolise spring, love, beauty and good fortune while butterflies represent joy, beauty and romance. Symbols from the Eight auspicious Buddhist Emblems with trailing ribbons on a rose pink background decorate the mouth of the jar and the rim of the cover. Rose pink is symbolic of happiness and longevity, youthfulness and innocence. The Chupu could have been used as a food container and also used for double boiling foods such as herbal soups. As the third type of important ware used in Peranakan Chinese wedding ceremonies, it could have been used to contain delicacies symbolic of marital harmony, such as bird’s nest soup.
