Cylindrical stand with three legs

A cylindrical stand with no bottom has been made of greenish hetian jade with gray flaws and veins. The piece has three short legs in the form of cloud heads. The outer surface displays two symmetrical animal masks. Two feline eyes flank the bridge of a nose consisting of a tall column with two cloudlike hooks on each side and a long C hook on each end. Long eyebrows extend to the sides, forming symmetrical clouds over enclosed areas of cross-hatching that stretch along the lower edge of the cylinder.

The form is adapted from a particular tripod design (with a bottom) found in ancient Han metalwork and ceramics. Inscriptions on bronze Han tripods confirm their name, zun, and function, as wine vessels. Banquet scenes on Han pictorial bricks show people serving wine from zun. This jade stand follows the decoration of ancient bronzes but serves merely as a stand for display, since it has no bottom. The surface was largely dyed gray.