Wine cup with ring handle (He)

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

When it first appeared in the middle of the Eastern Zhou dynasty, the he had two small loop lugs on opposite sides and one larger ring handle on the lower section of the bowl, suggesting that it may have functioned as a wine warmer. In the early Han dynasty, the he served only as a drinking vessel with a shallower bowl and only one or two small ring handles.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art