Known as “Jiuquan Shire” (Jiuquan literally means “Alcohol Spring”) in Chinese history, the Suzhou region in Gansu province is a famous historically and culturally important city along the Silk Road. The Jiuquan Luminous Cup is a renowned and costly alcohol-drinking vessel made of jade, so named because it sparkles when filled with alcohol and placed under the moonlight.

The manufacture of Jiuquan Luminous Cups has a long history. Since ancient times, the Qilian Mountains of Gansu have produced a beautiful jade of brilliant white, green, black and yellow colors. Local artisans grind and polish it into wine cups either of a pure color or of mixed colours. They come in various shapes, including wine cups with stems, flat-bottomed cups, and cups with cut designs, all marked by their simple and elegant style. They are all the more cherished because they stand in sudden contact with extreme heat or cold.

Luminous cups made in modern times with Laoshan jade and Xinshan jade in Qilian Mountain as well as river jade come in brilliant colors, elegant shapes, exquisiteness and transparency.

Legends

There are two legends about luminous wine cups:

One legend has it that the spring water under the ancient Jiuquan city is endowed with an intense aroma of alcohol. One day, this aroma was noticed by two gods, the God of the South Star and the God of the North Star, who were on an inspection tour. The God of the North Star squatted beside the spring, acclaiming, “What an alcohol spring!” The God of the South Star picked up a stone and turned it into two cups. When darkness fell, there was no moonlight, but the cups were sparkling. It is from then on that this place was named “Jiuquan” (means “Alcohol Spring”), while the cups left by two gods are known as “Luminous Cups”.

The other legend claims that King Mu (10th century B.C.) of the Zhou Dynasty once drank with this cup and found it glittering snow-white in the moonlight. It was then named the "luminous wine cup."

It became more famous after the Tang Dynasty poet Wang Han sang of it in the following lines:

Grape wine in luminous cups shines. As we raise them to lips the lute strikes up fast. Laugh not if we fall drunk on the battlefield. Tell us how many ever returned from the war.

Jinquan has today a well-established factory specializing in the making of such "luminous cups." Nowadays, visitors to the town, apart from seeing Jiayuguan Pass, the western end of the Great Wall, all wish to take a tour of this factory, buying a few cups as souvenirs.