Invented in the late Ming dynasty, snuff bottles are one of the most popular art forms in China. With their elegant form and exquisite, unique beauty, they have won the hearts and minds of art lovers around the world. During the early stages of snuff bottle development, they mostly served a purely practical function - holding powdered tobacco, a material used both for smoking and curing illnesses. Later their aesthetic value was greatly prized, and generations of artists worked to improve this art. When in Beijing, go discover the amazing, unique snuff bottles in the city's local shops.
For art fans, the beauty of snuff bottles is sometimes beyond words. Previously used by the rich to symbolize their wealth and status, snuff bottles are usually made of some of the most precious materials - gold, jade, emeralds, pearl, or ivory - and decorated with the most valuable artwork, like paintings, calligraphy, cloisonne, or lacquer. Its small size only adds an additional level of attractiveness.
Chinese snuff bottles were invented based on the snuff box used in Europe. They were first developed in the late Ming dynasty, after tobacco was introduced to China. They gained popularity during the early Qing dynasty, when it became fashionable to own an exquisitely made snuff bottle to show one's status and taste in art.
Smoking tobacco was actually banned during the Qing dynasty, but an exception was made for people who used snuff bottles and inhaled tobacco through their nose, because snuff was believed to be an effective remedy that could cure many illnesses. Many Chinese emperors during this period were lovers of snuff bottles. The Emperor Daoguang even ordered a workshop be built inside the Forbidden City to produce such bottles. In the 1970s, Artists revived the art of making snuff bottles after decades of political turmoil and began to use modern techniques to create new kinds of bottles.
An especially interesting, unique class of snuff bottle is the "inside painted bottle." First made in the late Qing dynasty, such bottles quickly became a favorite among art collectors. It is usually made of glass and has a picture painted on the inside surface. Compared to pictures painted on the outside, pictures painted on the inside will not easily fade or come off after being used for a long time. Such bottles came to dominate the market starting in the 1970's. Bottles with traditional Chinese paintings or calligraphy done by famous artists are greatly prized.
Cultural Note: The "inside painted bottle" is believed to have been invented during the late Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty. A low-ranking official was in Beijing on an assignment. He came to know that, in order to do his job, he had to give bribes to the corrupted officials in the imperial court. But he decided not to, because he was one of a few good people working in the government who abhorred bribery. For this, he was purposefully ignored by the corrupted officials and told to wait indefinitely for an audience.
The waiting was endless, and soon the official had spent all his money. Penniless, he had to move into a Buddhist temple to live with monks. He soon found that his tobacco was also running out. One day, he discovered the only tobacco left was a little powder in his snuff bottle, so he tried to use a stick to scrape it out. A monk sitting next to him noticed this, and thought of a new idea. Later, using a sharpened stick as tool, the monk experimented with painting images on the inside of snuff bottle and the first "inside painted bottle" was made.
Different materials can be used to give snuff bottles different looks. Early on, six main types of snuff bottles were categorized according to the materials used to make them. They are glass bottles, porcelain bottles, jade bottles, amber bottles, agate bottles, and tourmaline bottles. Snuff bottle lovers usually have a large collection of bottles made of all these different materials.
When you are in Beijing, remember to shop for some beautiful snuff bottles in the local shops of the city. Because there are only a few shops that have authentic bottles made by great artists, it's best to find a personal shopper to help you find these shops.
Chinese snuff bottles were invented based on the snuff box used in Europe. They were first developed in the late Ming dynasty, after tobacco was introduced to China. They gained popularity during the early Qing dynasty, when it became fashionable to own an exquisitely made snuff bottle to show one's status and taste in art.
Smoking tobacco was actually banned during the Qing dynasty, but an exception was made for people who used snuff bottles and inhaled tobacco through their nose, because snuff was believed to be an effective remedy that could cure many illnesses. Many Chinese emperors during this period were lovers of snuff bottles. The Emperor Daoguang even ordered a workshop be built inside the Forbidden City to produce such bottles. In the 1970s, Artists revived the art of making snuff bottles after decades of political turmoil and began to use modern techniques to create new kinds of bottles.
An especially interesting, unique class of snuff bottle is the "inside painted bottle." First made in the late Qing dynasty, such bottles quickly became a favorite among art collectors. It is usually made of glass and has a picture painted on the inside surface. Compared to pictures painted on the outside, pictures painted on the inside will not easily fade or come off after being used for a long time. Such bottles came to dominate the market starting in the 1970's. Bottles with traditional Chinese paintings or calligraphy done by famous artists are greatly prized.
Cultural Note: The "inside painted bottle" is believed to have been invented during the late Qianlong era of the Qing dynasty. A low-ranking official was in Beijing on an assignment. He came to know that, in order to do his job, he had to give bribes to the corrupted officials in the imperial court. But he decided not to, because he was one of a few good people working in the government who abhorred bribery. For this, he was purposefully ignored by the corrupted officials and told to wait indefinitely for an audience.
The waiting was endless, and soon the official had spent all his money. Penniless, he had to move into a Buddhist temple to live with monks. He soon found that his tobacco was also running out. One day, he discovered the only tobacco left was a little powder in his snuff bottle, so he tried to use a stick to scrape it out. A monk sitting next to him noticed this, and thought of a new idea. Later, using a sharpened stick as tool, the monk experimented with painting images on the inside of snuff bottle and the first "inside painted bottle" was made.
When you are in Beijing, remember to shop for some beautiful snuff bottles in the local shops of the city. Because there are only a few shops that have authentic bottles made by great artists, it's best to find a personal shopper to help you find these shops.
About the Author:
Author A. Lao has studied Chinese arts and crafts for years. He now works with a Beijing personal shopper who brings customers to special Chinese stores. From time to time, he plans personal shopping trips.
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