Painted enamel Shui Cheng with lotus patterns from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) [Photo/Official Weibo account of the Palace Museum]

Shui Cheng, a small container of water for ink stone, is a stationery accessory that was used in ancient China. It was used to hold water to make ink and wash the writing brush. The shapes and decorations of Shui Cheng vary, and always carry the implied meaning of auspiciousness, happiness and longevity. The Palace Museum in Beijing recently released on its Weibo account a series of photos of the museum's colorful Shui Cheng collections. Let's take a look.