What are the functions of silver wine utensils and silver flagons?

Wine and wine vessels have been playing an accompanying role in the development of Chinese wine culture, which set each other off and shine brilliantly. The silverware that once stood out in the Sui and Tang Dynasties has been passed down with fine wine for more than 1,400 years. From the royal wine case to the homes of ordinary people, it not only continues its noble temperament, but also inherits the scientific basis and profound cultural heritage of healthy drinking.

Wine is a kind of beverage produced in ancient times, with a long history and profound cultural connotation. China ancient wine vessels are a branch of Chinese wine culture. With the evolution of wine, they have experienced five periods of change and development.

In the first period (Neolithic Age), pottery was the main drinking utensil.

In the second period (Xia, Shang and Western Zhou), bronzes were the main drinking utensils.

In the third period (Eastern Zhou, Qin and Han Dynasties), the most exquisite wine ware was lacquerware, which was dazzling. Porcelain appeared in this period, from Wei, Jin, Southern and Northern Dynasties to Sui and Tang Dynasties, and has been gradually developing and becoming the mainstream in the wine circle.

With the rapid development of smelting technology, gold and silver wares also stood out in the Sui and Tang Dynasties. The last stage of the development of wine vessels is the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, which is also a period of great historical changes. During this period, China's porcelain firing technology reached its peak; Coupled with the love of several generations of emperors, porcelain once again occupied the mainstream position, and gold and silver utensils retired to a secondary position. However, because of the scarcity of precious metals, it has always been a "hard currency" that can be circulated. Gold and silver vessels are still sought after by dignitaries, and also represent wealth and status.

Although gold and silver wine sets are slightly inferior because of the "crowding out" of porcelain, silverware wine sets still frequently appear on the wine cabinets of the palace nobles. The reason is that silverware wine sets can make wine more mellow ... During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the processing technology of gold and silver wine sets developed rapidly on the basis of inheriting the achievements of the previous generation. Especially in the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong periods of Qing Dynasty, due to political stability, economic prosperity and all-round development of wine culture, the processing and manufacturing technology of gold and silver wine vessels was more exquisite and the carving was more exquisite, which represented the superb level of metal manufacturing technology in this period.

With the prosperity of economy and the prevalence of wine culture in Ming and Qing dynasties, gold and silver wine vessels were more sought after among the people. And since ancient times, the saying that silverware can detect poison has been widely circulated among the people. Song Ci, a famous forensic scientist in the Song Dynasty, recorded the traditional idea that silverware can detect poison in the autopsy records of silver needles in Injustice Collection, which was also taken as the criterion by forensic doctors at that time. It is this kind of record that makes people more enthusiastic about silverware. Today, some people will use silver chopsticks to test whether food is poisonous. They also firmly believe that drinking with silverware and wine utensils is good for health.

With the development of science and technology, it has been proved that silverware can only detect sulfur-containing poisons in food, but not all poisons can be detected. At the same time, it also proves that silver does have a health care effect on human body. Silver has a good bactericidal effect. As long as every liter of water contains one milligram of 50 million silver ions, most bacteria in the water can be killed. The food in silverware is not easy to ferment and turn sour; In addition, silver compounds can also treat burns and bandage wounds ... The proof of science and technology has made silverware and wine vessels become advanced wine vessels beneficial to health, which continue to this day.

Chinese wine culture, which has been passed down for thousands of years, has never left the elements of wine vessels. In ancient times, how to match ancient silverware with a cup of ancient wine; How to use silverware now, how to drink it healthily and have high taste? The fusion of ancient silverware and old wine not only symbolizes the noble status of ancient drinkers, but also is the scientific basis for healthy drinking today.