Wine vessel, Late Shang Dynasty
Height: 27.6cm

Phoenix is the decorative motif of this artifact and thus comes the name.

The whole body is an ellipsoid with a plump belly, overlaid with many projecting and hooked ridges. The knob of the lid is like a budding flower, decorated with an animal mask design. The two ends of the handle
are embellished with a carved animal head with horns spread out like a palm. The handle is decorated with clouds in the background. A kui long design (a dragonlike monopode in legends) stands in relief. The phoenix patterns that wrap around the lid, belly and neck are splendid and graceful. They are typical phoenix patterns of the early Western Zhou Dynasty.