Yeguangbeidiao
01 · Historical Records
According to the “Ten Islands Record” (Shizhou ji), during the reign of King Mu of Zhou the Western Regions presented to the court a “luminous ever-full cup,” a vessel made of the essence of white jade. The Tang dynasty poet Wang Han, in his “Song of Liangzhou,” wrote: “Fine grape wine in the luminous cup; urged to drink, the pipa calls on horseback.” This shows that Jiuquan luminous cups were already in existence at least by the Tang dynasty.
02 · Core Techniques & Process
Suzhou District of Gansu Province was historically known as Jiuquan Commandery; since the commandery was established in the Western Han, it has a history of more than two thousand years. It is one of the famous four ancient commanderies of Hexi and an important historical and cultural city on the Silk Road. The Jiuquan luminous cup is a precious drinking vessel carved from jade. “Drunk on the battlefield, my lords, do not laugh; since ancient times, how many have returned from the campaign?” Grape wine is produced in Liangzhou (Wuwei), and luminous cups in Suzhou (Jiuquan); the wine's quality is shown all the more by the cup, and the cup's fame is all the greater for the wine — each brings out the best in the other, renowned through the ages. The making of a luminous cup requires 28 complex process steps. First, superior jade material must be selected from the Laoshanwozi (“old mountain nest”) area of the Qilian Mountains; according to the dimensions of the cup, the jade is cut into cylinders of different specifications, blanks are made to fixed measurements, the exterior is then cut and finely ground to form the cup's preliminary shape, and it is hollowed out so that the luminous cup basically takes form; finally, after 14 further process steps — fine grinding, punching, milling, burnishing, polishing, and hot-wax sealing — it is buffed with a horsehair mesh, and a crystal-clear luminous cup is complete. Jiuquan luminous cups are as thin as paper, with a smooth, delicate surface. Through continual refinement of the craft, luminous cups can now be produced in six major categories and more than thirty shapes. All varieties place great emphasis on preserving traditional production methods, making the luminous cups shine ever more brightly. The local government has organized and implemented a five-year protection plan, excavating and organizing the original folk production techniques of the luminous cup.
Archival Records of Process Steps
The making of a luminous cup requires 28 complex process steps.
03 · Regional Records & Related Items
Jiuquan luminous cups are made from the superior jade of the Laoshanwozi area of the Qilian Mountains. Production requires 28 complex process steps: first the jade is cut into cylinders of different specifications according to the cup's dimensions and blanks are made; the exterior is cut and finely ground to form the preliminary shape; the cup is then hollowed out so that it basically takes form; finally it passes through steps such as fine grinding, punching, milling, burnishing, polishing, and hot-wax sealing, and is buffed with a horsehair mesh. In 1967 Huang Yuesu became a pupil of the veteran artist Wang Sanzhong; he has a masterly command of all 28 traditional process steps, and the luminous cups he carves are as thin as eggshells, with flowing curves and a mirror-like luster. He has trained more than twenty representative inheritors.
04 · Cultural Value & Contemporary Safeguarding
Huang Yuesu (from the official archive of associated inheritors): male, Han ethnicity, born in 1950, a native of Zhuji, Zhejiang. He began working in 1967, studying the luminous cup carving craft under the veteran artist Wang Sanzhong; he has a masterly command of all 28 traditional process steps, and the luminous cups he carves are as thin as eggshells, with flowing curves and a mirror-like luster. Representative works include “Antique-Style Luminous Cup” and “Goblet.” Representative inheritor of luminous cup carving, a project of the first national-level batch of intangible cultural heritage. He has trained more than twenty representative inheritors.
05 · Associated Representative Bearers
Representative bearers recorded under this item, organized by national nomination batch:
- Huang Yuesu 01-0094
06 · Authoritative Sources & Bibliography
Sources
China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network (ihchina.cn)
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