1. General Wine Customs of the Gaoshan People (高山族)
Except the Yamei people (雅美族), all branches of the Gaoshan people (高山族) have a fondness for drinking. For traditional occasions including wedding ceremonies, childbirth celebrations, festive events, house construction, as well as farming, fishing and hunting rituals, they usually brew wine in advance as a custom.
Their traditional drinking utensils mainly include wooden dippers, bamboo tubes, wooden spoons, wooden cups, pottery jars and pottery cups. Among these, the joint wooden cup (联木杯) created by the Paiwan people (排湾族) boasts unique ethnic characteristics.
2. Features of Paiwan People’s (排湾族) Joint Wooden Cups (联木杯)
2.1 Shape and Classification
The Paiwan people (排湾族) are proficient in wood carving craftsmanship. Their classic joint wooden cups (联木杯) fall into two categories: two-cup joint and three-cup joint, designed for two or three people to drink simultaneously. Most cups adopt octagonal or square shapes, with a grip handle on each side.
2.2 Carving Craft and Patterns
The cup handles and the connecting parts between joint cups (联木杯) are exquisitely carved with vivid decorative patterns, including human figures, snakes, deer and various geometric textures, presenting delicate and elegant craftsmanship.
2.3 Application Scenarios
The double-joint wooden cup (双联木杯) is the most commonly used type. In ancient times, it was primarily applied on grand occasions of tribal peacemaking. Nowadays, it is widely used in guest-receiving banquets and wedding ceremonies.
2.4 Drinking Etiquette and Cultural Connotation
The drinking etiquette for the joint wooden cup (联木杯) is distinctive: two people stand shoulder to shoulder, one holding the cup handle with the left hand and the other with the right hand. This unique drinking custom serves as an important way for the Paiwan people (排湾族) to convey friendship, as well as enhance ethnic unity and interpersonal harmony.