Seal ink box
Yuan dynasty (1279-1368)
Carved cinnabar lacquer
Portland Museum of Art, Portland, Ore.
Speaking of Portland, several years ago I read a novel set in that city in which one of the characters used the phrase "stem people" to describe Yuppie couples who would bring fancy picnic dinners, complete with real stemware, to free concerts at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Two questions: has any real Portlander (I know I have at least one who reads my journal) ever heard this phrase used in real life? And does anyone recognize the book? I remember it was a YA novel, but I'll be dipped if I can remember the title or, for that matter, anything about it other than what I wrote in this very paragraph.
