Green Glass Cuspidor
As living utensils in the imperial palace, cuspidors were mostly made of porcelain, brass or enamel, and glass pieces were very rare.
A glass masterpiece dating back to the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, this green glass cuspidor features a trumpet-shaped mouth, a plump belly and a flat bottom. Its body is decorated with hexagonal patterns that are believed to be ground manually. The cuspidor measures 8.7 centimeters tall and 7.7 centimeters in mouth diameter, the size of an apple, and looks exquisite and light.
Glass is common today, but in the past it was rare and expensive. The history of glassmaking in China can be traced back to 2,500 years ago, and glass was once called "liuli" or "liaoqi" in Chinese.
After restrictions on maritime trade were lifted in the Qing Dynasty, European glassware entered China, and Westerners who served the emperor also brought glassmaking technology into the royal court. Emperor Kangxi set up a glass factory under the Imperial Workshop in the Hall of Mental Cultivation to produce various glass products for the palace. From then on, glass began to be formally called "boli" in Chinese.
Initially, the ancient Chinese regarded glassware as artificial jade and admired opaque glassware. In contrast, Europeans preferred crystal-like transparent glass. This preference influenced glassware production in the Qing royal court. The glass factory in the Qing imperial palace was committed to producing high-transparency glassware that fused Chinese and Western techniques and aesthetics. This green glass cuspidor is representative of that trend.
绿色玻璃渣斗
渣斗是宫中生活用品，以瓷制、铜制和珐琅制居多，玻璃制的渣斗十分少见。这件绿色玻璃渣斗，喇叭状开口，鼓腹，平底，通体布满六边形花纹，据说是磨制出的图案。高仅有8.7厘米，口径7.7厘米，大小与苹果相当，十分轻盈，是中国乾隆朝的玻璃精品。
如今，玻璃很是常见，历史上却曾经珍稀昂贵。中国的玻璃历史可以追溯到2500年前，曾被称为“琉璃”“料器”。清初开海禁，欧洲玻璃制品进入中国，为皇帝服务的西洋人也把玻璃制作工艺带入宫廷。康熙皇帝专门设立玻璃厂，隶属于养心殿造办处，为宫中生产各种玻璃制品，“玻璃”之称也正式确立。
古代中国最初将玻璃器视为人造玉石，推崇不透明的玻璃器。欧洲则喜好像水晶一样的透明玻璃，这一喜好影响了后来清宫玻璃器的制作。以这件绿色渣斗为代表，清宫玻璃厂生产的高透明度玻璃器，正是中西方技艺与审美相互融合的产物。
