Wu Zetian & Tang Taizong Porcelain Sake Cups (Pair)

A pair of small hand-painted porcelain sake cups, each with a portrait inside: one shows an empress in a flowered headdress and yellow robe, the other an emperor in a golden cap and red robe, each with a short Chinese inscription naming the figure. The rims are gilded, the inner walls have red-and-gold hexagon panels and chrysanthemum sprays, and each base has a ring of red petals. Small enough to rest on your fingertips, they work for sake, a little tea, or simply on a shelf.

The pairing has a story behind it. Wu Zetian entered Emperor Taizong's court as a young concubine. After he died she married his son, Emperor Gaozong, became the real power behind the throne, and in 690 declared herself emperor. She is the only woman in Chinese history to rule in her own name.