Bronze mythical creature-shaped wine warmer from Ming Dynasty

How did ancient Chinese people keep their drinks warm in winter? Check out this Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) bronze wine warmer shaped as a majestic qilin, a Chinese mythical beast of good fortune. Its hollow belly serves as a tiny furnace, and its tail as a fire door. The two side barrels hold water. Once charcoal is lit inside the qilin's belly, the water in the side barrels slowly heats up, and so do the wine cups in the barrels. When it reaches a boiling point, steam puffs out from the qilin's mouth, creating a gentle, misty cloud.

Unearthed in Shangma town, Naxi district of Luzhou, Sichuan province, this remarkable piece is now a treasure in the collection of the Luzhou Museum.