The Palace Museum in Beijing, together with the Louvre Museum in France, the British Museum in the United Kingdom, the Metropolitan Museum in the United States, and the Hermitage Museum in Russia, is known as the world's five largest museums, with a collection of more than 1 million rare treasures, of which 10 are known as the "treasures of the town hall".
Among the ten treasures of the Palace Museum, one is called the "treasure of the court": the Qianlong Golden Inlaid Treasure Jin Ou Yonggu Cup.
Simply put, this "treasure of the court" is a wine glass made by the Qianlong Emperor.
In November 1739, the Qianlong Emperor ordered the Office of the Interior Ministry to make a golden cup.
The "Ministry of Internal Affairs" records: "Qianlong fourth year (1739) November gilded. On the twenty-eighth day, the seven-pin chieftain Samha and the general Bai Shixiu said that the eunuch Hu Shijie handed over the white jade plum petal, which was made with a wax and a stable bottle, and its name was 'Jade Candle Long Tune'; and then with a golden cup, its name was "Jin Ou Yonggu", and the sample was first presented. Thanks. ”
Soon, the golden cup was manufactured, and the words "Jin Ou Yonggu" and "Qianlong Year System" were engraved on it, so it was called "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup". The "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup" is 12.5 cm high, 8 cm in diameter and 5 cm in height.
Everyone noticed that the Qianlong Emperor issued an edict to create the "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup" at the same time, but also made a "jade candle long tone" candlestick, what is the function of this?
Later, the Qianlong Emperor's son, the Jiaqing Emperor, said in an annotation to the "New Year's Day Examination" that starting from the Yongzheng Emperor, the Qianlong Emperor carried forward the practice of writing in the Yangxin Hall on New Year's Day. Now, the Jiaqing Emperor also complied with the implementation, the specific practice is: "On the New Year's Day of each year, that is, the emperor is in charge, the case is set up in Jin Ouyi, the middle is Tu Su; the jade candle is one, and the hand triggers the light." First Yu Gang, then Dye Mo Han, and its pen pipe end is written with the words 'Evergreen'..."
This means that at the beginning of the pen, the emperor would place the "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup" and the "Jade Candle Long Tone" candlestick on the imperial case, pour Tu Su wine in the "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup", light the "Jade Candle Long Tone" candlestick, and then use an evergreen brush to dye Mo Han and write with a wave.
Obviously, the "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup" and the "Jade Candle Long Tone" candlestick are both royal items prepared for the opening ceremony.
In 1740, perhaps the Qianlong Emperor felt that one "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup" was not enough, and ordered the Internal Affairs Office to make two more. This time, the Qianlong Emperor asked the craftsmen to add several pearls of different sizes to the "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup": "One large bead on each side of the ear dragon, five beads on each side, one larger in the middle, and the flower head should be rounded. Thanks. ”
In 1797, after 50 or 60 years of use, 3 "Jin Ou Yonggu Cups" were damaged. The Qianlong Emperor once again ordered the production of a new "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup".
The "Ministry of Internal Affairs" records: "On October 26, 1962, Qianlong' minister Fu Mian was instructed to collect and store the 'Jin Ou Yonggu' in the Qianqing Palace, which had been injured and damaged, and handed over to the manufacturing office to create a piece of 'Jin Ou Yonggu'. On the 28th of this month, a piece of 'Jin Ou Yonggu' cup was made, with an ampoule inlaid with a jewel, which should be collared with 90% gold and 22, 11 positive beads, 9 ruby sizes, and 12 sapphires... Each one is waxed and presented with a folding piece. According to the will, it is allowed to pick the use of the inner library, and admire this. ”
As a result, the Qianlong Emperor made a total of 4 "Jin Ou Yonggu Cups". In ancient times, people alluded to "Jin Ou" as a country. The Nanshi Zhu Yi Biography records: "(Emperor Wu of Liang) tasted the joy of xingxing to Wu Dekou and said alone: 'Our country is like a golden urn, and there is no injury or deficiency. On October 4, 1911, the Qing court issued the first official national anthem in ancient Chinese history, namely "Gong Jin Ou".
Now, more than 200 years later, where are these 4 "Jin Ou Yonggu Cups" located?
The last "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup" made in 1740 is treasured in the Treasure Hall of the Palace Museum. The first "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup", made in 1739, is housed in the Wallace Museum in London, England. Two "Jin Ou Yonggu Cups" made in 1740, one in the Wallace Museum in London, England, and one in the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
Why did half of the 4 "Jin Ou Yonggu Cups" made by the Qianlong Emperor go to Britain? This is related to the Second Opium War.
In 1860, during the Second Opium War, the Anglo-French army invaded the capital and plundered and burned the Yuanmingyuan. French Colonel Du Pin snatched two "Golden Ou Yonggu Cups" and brought them back to France. In 1972, two "Golden Urns" appeared at an auction in Paris, France, for the British collector Lord Richard Wallace.
Wallace is a rich man and a collector, buying and collecting a large number of precious cultural relics, one of which is the two "Jin Ou Yonggu Cups". When Wallace died, his widow converted his mansion into a private museum, the Wallace Collection Museum in London, which was used to collect cultural relics, and the "Jin Ou Yonggu Cup" entered the Wallace Collection Museum in London and is still treasured today.