Bronze vessel shaped like a tapir, gold and turquoise inlays. China, Warring States period, 475–221 BCE. (open post at the risk of seeing 'airplane ears' and learning about tapirs)

I love how the ‘tapir’ has some combination of cats’ airplane ears and dogs’ ears in comics when there’s a major surprise. XD

Image
https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/68023ff599235_kitty-aeroplane-ear-posting-facebook-26.jpg

In any case, this is evidently an ancient Chinese bronze ritual wine container known as a Xi Zun (often referred to as a “bronze tapir"), richly decorated with gold, silver, and turquoise inlays from the Warring States period (475–221 BC).

https://www.littletonandhennessy.com/warring-states-inlaid-bronze-tapir/

Function & History: Originally used during elite ritual ceremonies to hold or pour sacrificial wine, historic examples of this piece (such as the famous former Fujita Museum specimen) have achieved record-breaking prices at international art auctions like Christie’s.

Same site, different link:
https://www.littletonandhennessy.com/tefaf-2007/

Image
https://lazoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Mountain-Tapir-Water-Copy-Space-JEP_4539-scaled.jpg

In any case, tapirs are amazing animals! (at least it seems that way to me as a different kind of mammal, haha)
https://www.google.com/search?q=Tapir&udm=2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapir