Porcelain is very easy to care for and can simply be hand washed with warm water and liquid detergent after use. Unlike unglazed ceramics, such as Yixing clay, glazed porcelain does not absorb odours or flavours and so can be used with different teas each time.
Teacup Blue White
Jingdezhen
SKU
6029
Appreciate all the subtle flavours of fine Chinese teas with this charming cup in the classic blue and white Qinghua style. Made in Jingdezhen, the "porcelain capital" of China, the cup is crafted using age-old techniques and adorned with handpainted poetry by renowned poet and tea lover Bai Juyi in a flowing calligraphic script.
| Product | Teacup |
|---|---|
| Origin | Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China |
| Dimensions | Ø5.8cm x 4.4cm |
| Volume | 30ml |
| Weight | 35g |
| Material | Porcelain |
| Decoration | 坐酌泠泠水，看煎瑟瑟塵。 無由持一碗，寄與愛茶人。 Scoop cool water, |
In stock
Producer
The birthplace of porcelain, Jingdezhen has been producing the finest Chinese ceramics for over a thousand years and was home to some of China’s most important imperial kilns. Surrounded by breathtaking nature in the northeastern corner of Jiangxi province, the remoteness of the small city has helped preserve age-old traditions that are still in practice to this day. When Europeans first encountered Chinese porcelain back in the 14th century, they concluded that this ethereal yet solid "white gold" could only have been made by magic. The secret? Kaolin: the soft white clay essential to manufacturing porcelain, named after the Gaoling mountain in Jingdezhen where this resource was available in abundance.
PIN MING BEI
The legendary Chinese tea master Lu Yu (733–804), aka "the Sage of Tea", regarded frugality and restraint as essential to the art of the tea connoisseur. Few tea accessories encapsulate these qualities quite as effectively as the tiny Pin Ming Bei cup (literally "tasting tea cup") designed for sipping, rather than gulping, thereby encouraging the user to focus on and savour the taste of the tea. This is especially pertinent for fine Chinese teas that subtly evolve with each infusion, taking the drinker on a flavour journey. Full-bodied oolong teas in particular, with a stronger taste and aroma, are best enjoyed in small sips.
Qinghua
Probably the most recognised and enduring of ceramic styles, blue and white pottery, known as Qinghua in Chinese (literally "blue flowers/patterns") was a revolutionary product in 14th century Jingdezhen. Traces of blue and white wares can be found as far back as the Tang dynasty (618-907) but it wasn’t until the Yuan dynasty (1279-1368) that potters in Jingdezhen perfected the clay and firing technology, which allowed for the mass production of quality Qinghua. The key ingredient in the vibrant blue hue is cobalt oxide: one of the very few pigments that can withstand the high firing temperatures of porcelain. This remarkably stable pigment was initially imported from Persia and is applied under the glaze before baking. Although blue and white wares came to be produced elsewhere in China — and around the world! — those from Jingdezhen are prized for their unmatched craftsmanship.
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