Double vessel with mythical beasts (champion vase)
This type of vessel, with two narrow vertical compartments connected by a carving of a mythical bird, is known as a “champion vase” in Western writings. The name may be a loose translation of yingxiongbei, or “hero’s cup,” referring to the eagle (ying) and the bear (xiong) supporting it. Based on an archaic bronze type that can be traced back to the second century BCE, champion vases were revived beginning in the sixteenth century and were subsequently manufactured in different media, including cloisonné, jade, and rhinoceros horn.
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