An inscribed bamboo tea scoop Ming dynasty, Wanli period, dated yiyou year (corresponding to 1585) | 明萬曆乙酉年（1585年） 羅漢竹茶則

Modelled from a section of fishpole bamboo with its original form preserved, with the four sides cut flat to form a tea scoop. The bamboo is thick and well patinated, with the reverse of the diagonal nodes resembling three river streams, onto which an inscription dated to the yiyou year of the Wanli reign (corresponding to 1585) is carved, followed by a signature by Wang Mexian. The inscription is an excerpt from a poem by Su Shi and can be translated to:

Fresh river water should be boiled over open flames;

I lean over the fishing rock, dip the deep clear river current;

Store the reflection of the large Spring moon, return it to the jar;

Divide the night stream with a little dipper, drained into the kettle.

天然羅漢竹隨形截取片段。保留其奇形。曲伏。交錯。坳突等自然形態。四邊截平僅略施斧斤即成茶則。構思巧妙。允稱奇器。老竹材厚實堅篤。色澤紅潤。歲久包漿瑩徹。器背橫槅層痕迹似三灣河流。上有萬曆乙酉（1585）王楳仙行書刻蘇東坡〈汲江煎茶詩〉：「活水仍須活火烹。自臨釣石汲深清。大瓢貯月歸春甕。小杓分江入夜缾。」