Gently hand wash with warm water and a soft cloth or sponge, using a mild washing-up liquid as necessary. Do not put in dishwasher or microwave.
Teacup
Xu Ni Egg
Jiang Liqiang
SKU
8453
A charming, egg-like porcelain teacup with a beautiful heather-grey glaze, wood- and soda-fired for over sixty hours to achieve a stunning one-of-a-kind finish. Handcrafted by the young Chinese ceramic artist Jiang Liqiang as part of his Xu Ni collection.
| Item | Pin Ming Bei teacup |
|---|---|
| Artist | Jiang Liqiang |
| Origin | Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China |
| Dimensions | Ø5.3 x 5.5cm |
| Volume | 80ml |
| Material | Porcelain |
| Kiln temperature | 1200-1230°C |
| Artist's mark | Signature on base |
| Packaging | Gift box |
Special Note: The finish on wood- and soda-fired ceramics is unpredictable, therefore colour, glazing and texture may vary considerably to the product shown here – please enjoy the uniqueness of each piece!
Jiang Liqiang 蔣麗強
Born in Zhangshu, Jiangxi Province in 1984, Jiang Liqiang studied at the Jingdezhen Ceramic Institute in 2003, graduating under Professor Huang Sheng. He then studied at the Sanbao Ceramic Art Institute, also in Jingdezhen, under Mr Li Jianshen: founder of the Sanbao International Ceramics Village as well as a globally-renowned master potter. During his four years of work in Sanbao, Liqiang was widely exposed to contemporary arts and ceramics from Europe, the USA, Japan, South Korea and other countries, which have all come to inform his unique and original style.
Pin Ming Bei 品茗杯
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.
Jingdezhen 景德鎮
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.
