Handmade Jianyang Jianzhan Tea Cup - Blue Sky

Jianzhan, or Jian ware, represents the pinnacle of ancient Chinese black porcelain, and is an art of pottery that combines earth with fire. Using clay and glaze rich in iron content from Jianyang as its raw material, it has to undergo about thirteen separate Chinese traditional handicrafts until completion, such as the selection of the porcelain and setting of the model. The gorgeous patterns are naturally produced in a kiln at temperatures of 1300C; because of this, each cup takes on a unique and one-of-a-kind design, adding to the distinctive charm of the ware.

Jianzhan is characterized by the saying “one color in, a riot of colors out” - each Jianzhan piece adopts the same type of glaze, but due to the different conditions of firing method, indoor temperature, personal style, and other factors, the final cups are each distinct and unique in their patterns and glaze colors. Just as there are no two identical leaves in the world, are there also no two identical Jianzhan pieces; they are similar in a general sense rather than a precise sense.

Blue sky: The grain is similar to that of the vast blue sky at night, dark and speckled with stars as though there is an entire galaxy inside the cup.

Artistic purple: Purple throughout history has been known as a rich, mysteriously charming color.

Dragon scale: Composed with polygonal violet spots, this type is often seen as resembling the scales of dragons in Chinese mythology.

Partridge feather: The spotted glaze pattern is somewhat similar to the black-and-white speckles of the chest feathers of the local partridge bird, with the glaze giving the pattern a three-dimensional appearance.

The unique glaze on the cup will reflect diverse colors for different tea liquid.

Like the Zisha tea set, Jian ware is also a kind of teaware that can be fostered. Its glazed surface can absorb tea soup and after a period of nourishment, it will present different colors.

Since Jianzhan wares are made with clay of a high iron content, drinking tea out of these cups should improve the flavor as well as soften the taste.

Taking natural flow as the glazing method, the bottom of Jianzhan is enamel-free in order to prevent the glaze from sticking to the bottom.

Some Jian zhan cups may carry hanging glaze at the bottom, commonly known as "glaze tears" or "glaze drops". This is a normal phenomenon and one of the characteristics of Jianzhan for the glaze is easy to flow at high temperatures.

It is heavy, feeling dense and thick when held; the large mouth of the cup makes it convenient and easy to watch the tea soup; the original glazed color of the material is black, bringing out the color of the tea; and when using Jianzhan for the first time, there is no need to “season” the material like with Zisha teapots. The ashy, earthy smell of the kiln can be cleaned off with fresh, warm water, and then after a boiling rinse of a few minutes, the cup is ready to use.

Jianzhan is a well-known Chinese porcelain of the Han nationality. It is one of the eight famous porcelain types of the Song dynasty, tracing back further than a thousand years; it takes its name from its origin of Jian An county during that time. Scholars and tea drinkers during the time period strongly advocated the comparison of different tea types, and as such required tea sets of a high quality along with the tea itself. Jianzhan has dense, tight pores conducive to the retention of heat, making it appropriate for this use.

In 2011, the workmanship of Jianzhan crafting was included on the list of national intangible cultural heritage.