Wine Cup and Stand, Qingbai ware, Song dynasty, 11th century. Porcelain with pale blue glaze, 5 1/2 x 6 in. (13.97 x 15.24 cm). Gift of Ruth and Bruce Dayton 2000.41a,b © 2015 All Rights Reserved. Minneapolis Institute of Art. 

Qingbai cup stands with pierced trefoil motifs first appeared in the eleventh century. This type of thinly potted porcelain cup and stand can be seen in Song dynasty (960-1279) paintings illustrating banquet scenes. Intended for elegant dining, these vessels should be seen in the context of other Qingbai tableware such as the bowls, ewers, and saucers shown here.