■ Ming Dynasty Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup Saucer Diameter 9.3cm ・This is a saucer featuring the design of the Ming Dynasty Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup. ・Can also be used as a small plate. ・Each piece has its own unique color and design. *Tea cup sold separately. ●When sold individually 1 piece ¥1400 2 pieces ¥2600 3 pieces ¥3700 4 pieces ¥4800 5 pieces ¥5700 6 pieces ¥6800 [Ming Dynasty Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup] This sake cup was made approximately 500 years ago as a ceremonial wine cup for the emperor. Only the highest quality items were admitted to the palace, and any items that did not meet the standard were reportedly crushed. It is said that Emperor Wanli of the Ming Dynasty always kept a pair of these wine cups before him to enjoy. One theory regarding the design is that the first year of the Chenghua reign was the Year of the Rooster in the Chinese zodiac, and the Chinese pronunciation of "chicken" is similar to the "ji" in "auspicious" (ji xiang), meaning good fortune (various theories exist). Only about 19 of these wine cups, made in the 15th century, remain in the world and are housed in museums in Beijing, Taiwan, London, New York, and other locations. The National Palace Museum in Taiwan has the largest collection with 6 pieces, which are always on display. Due to the extremely limited number available for circulation, it sets new record high prices each time it is put up for auction. In 2014, it was sold for 281 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately 3.7 billion yen) at an auction held by Sotheby's in Hong Kong. Sake cup Ochoko (small sake cup) Pin Ming cup Tea ceremony utensils Tea ceremony Sencha (green tea) Chinese tea Pao cha (brewed tea) Chinese tea ware Tea ware Black tea Ming Dynasty Chenghua Doucai Chicken Pattern Cup Saucer