Chapter 5
独妙
Unique Excellence
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Page 332

English Translation

The *zun* (尊), also written as *dang* (档), is a drinking vessel made in the shape of a gourd. Su Shi's *First Ode on the Red Cliff* uses the phrase "a single leaf of a fan-boat, raising the mandarin duck *zun* to toast one another" to express the melancholy sorrow of lamenting the present. As a drinking vessel, the *zun* is intimately connected to people's lives. The "Gourd *Zun* Teapot" has a simple yet plump and full body, round and stout, mature and steady. The decoration increases the sense of stability in the form. A curved spout naturally extends outward, echoing the upright handle, with smooth flowing rhythm. The lid knob imitates the body's shape, taking a flattened round form, small and exquisite—a finishing touch. The lid and rim are joined with a mortise and tenon line. --- **Note:** The text appears incomplete at the end ("全1上山"), which may be a fragment or page notation from the original source.