A pair of rhinoceros hide lacquer ear cups unearthed from Zhu Ran's tomb, Three Kingdoms period (220-280 AD).

The rhinoceros hide technique is a unique method of decoration in ancient Chinese lacquerware. It involves applying multiple layers of colored lacquer to the surface of an object and then finely polishing it after it has dried, creating a vivid, lustrous visual effect reminiscent of flowing clouds and water. Courtesy Zhai Xiang.