Tang Yi Cultural Creativity | Silver Incense Pouch with Floral, Bird, and Grape Motifs

Appearance introduction

Material: Sterling silver

Diameter: 53mm

Uses: Decoration, incense

The outer wall of the sachet is made of silver. ， Shaped like a sphere ， Entirely openwork ， At the mid-level horizontal line For The boundary is evenly divided to form two hemispheres. ， Between the upper and lower spheres, the sides are connected by chain links, while one side is fitted with a pivoted joint. Inside the lower sphere, there are two concentric circular mechanisms made of silver, each equipped with dual axles that rotate independently. The outer mechanism is fixed to the sphere’s wall, whereas the inner mechanism is connected both to the outer mechanism and to the golden basin. A semicircular incense holder is placed within the inner mechanism. The outer wall, the mechanisms, and the golden basin are joined together using silver rivets, allowing them to rotate freely. Thus, no matter how the outer sphere rotates, thanks to the mechanisms and... Incense basin The effect of gravity causes Incense basin Always able to maintain balance, Li The spices in the face mask won't spill out. The top of the incense pouch’s lid is riveted with a loop button, and a chain is attached over it. The chain itself is also exquisitely crafted, with a loop at its upper end. hook Curved and sturdy. It can be hung indoors or worn on the body.

Since ancient times, sachets have been cherished as tokens of affection.

Since ancient times, scented sachets have served as tokens of affection. In Fan Qin’s “Poem of Affection” from the Three Kingdoms period, “ How can I knock gently? A fragrant pouch is tied behind the elbow. ” It expresses the tender and lingering affection sealed by a scented pouch. In "Dream of the Red Chamber," Daiyu sews a scented pouch for Baoyu, and the detail of her angrily cutting it to shreds further highlights its symbolic significance in their relationship. The love story between Yang Guifei and Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty lends an even more legendary aura to the scented pouch.

A.D. 756 In that year, the flames of the An Lushan Rebellion swept across Chang'an, and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, along with Yang Guifei, fled westward in haste. As they reached Mawei Slope, Driven by haste, they hadn't even prepared basic food supplies. The accompanying soldiers, suffering from hunger and exhaustion, harbored resentment and anger. Chen Xuanli directed the soldiers' fury toward... Yang Guifei and Yang Guozhong ， Subsequently Chen Xuanli Also said To be executed on the pretext of seducing the king. Yang Guifei, and thus she... Accused of being the source of a nation's downfall. ， Yang Guifei Two rescues Emperor Xuanzong of Tang , received no response. ， He Have you already forgotten the private whispers in the Palace of Eternal Life, the vows made by your pillow, and the golden hairpin that served as witness? ， Afterward, Yang Guifei hanged herself. One year later, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Never forgetting, he sent an envoy to Mawei. slope Relocation of burial, But all I could say was: “ The skin is ruined, yet the scented pouch remains. ”。 Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Spending the whole day gazing at the sachet, she was overcome with longing and sadness, and passed away from illness a few years later.

Process

The production process of the silver incense pouch decorated with floral, bird, and grape motifs is extremely intricate. The exterior wall is entirely hollowed out and covered with patterns of flying birds and grapes. 。 The thinnest part is only 0.05 Centimeter, Involves multiple technical approaches. ， Mainly for chasing and openwork, The hammering technique was widely used in the production of gold and silver artifacts during the Tang Dynasty, fully leveraging the malleability and ductility of gold and silver while combining material beauty with artistic elegance. During the Tang Dynasty, gold and silver incense pouches also employed techniques such as chasing and openwork. These techniques not only reflected the superb craftsmanship of the Tang Dynasty but also imbued the incense pouches with the opulent and sumptuous aesthetic characteristics of the era.

The silver incense pouch adorned with floral, bird, and grape motifs represents the pinnacle of Tang Dynasty goldsmithing and silversmithing. Its craftsmanship integrates numerous core techniques of Tang Dynasty metalworking, embodying a remarkable harmony between scientific precision and artistic elegance.

Exquisite mechanical structure

Scent pouch Inside, there is a double-layer concentric ring mechanism: the outer ring is connected to the sphere’s wall, while the inner ring is linked to both the outer ring and the hemispherical golden incense burner via silver rivets, creating a flexible, three-axis, vertically oriented rotating structure. This... " Two axes connected " The device is referred to as [name] in modern mechanics. " Constant-level frame structure "。

The balancing mechanism inside the incense pouch fully conforms to the principle of a gyroscope: When the wearer moves and causes the outer shell to rotate, the golden incense bowl—under the influence of gravity—maintains its opening facing upward and its center of gravity directed downward through the coordinated adjustment provided by the concentric circular mechanism. This ensures that the incense powder never spills out. This principle is consistent with the core mechanism of modern gyroscopes, which rely on rotating bodies to maintain directional stability—a phenomenon analogous to how a rapidly spinning top remains upright and does not fall over.

This technology is about [time period] earlier than in Europe. 600 Year, until 17-18 It wasn't until the 19th century that Europe began applying similar principles to stabilize nautical compasses. Its scientific value is not only evident in its practicality for everyday wear—such as preventing incense ash from spilling—but also foreshadows the early prototypes of modern technologies like aviation gyroscopes and smartphone image stabilization. Archaeologist Qiang Yue pointed out that this device demonstrates the Tang Dynasty's global leadership in the field of precision mechanics.