West Asian depictions of two birds facing one another may have helped to inspire the representation of the two mandarin ducks in the interior of this cup. In Chinese culture the ducks are a longstanding symbol for marital happiness.
iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.
Link to original content: http://web.archive.org/web/20190129190855/https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/1991.159