Handwritten Calligraphy Porcelain Gaiwan

The quality of this porcelain gaiwan is absolutely outstanding. The button of the lid, the lip of the bowl, and the entire saucer all utilize the phenomenon of ‘furnace transmutation’ to give them each unique character, though as a whole the gaiwan still embodies natural harmony. The four Chinese characters (“静”,“禅”,“悟”,“道”) along the body of the bowl help to break the monotony of the pure white while also adding to the aesthetic and collector’s value of the piece.

No matter how delicate, though, a gaiwan is used to brew tea. When doing so, use your index finger to hold the indentation of the lid’s button and hold it in place while pouring. The interior of the bowl is white porcelain, allowing you to see the concentration and color of the tea liquid as well as the shape of the tea leaves.

Furnace Transmutation

The occurrence of 窑变, or furnace transmutation, is a phenomenon that occurs throughout the manufacturing process of some ceramics. It results in unpredictable, uncontrolled color changes along porcelain surfaces caused by variations in temperature inside the kiln. This is part of why a uniform glaze can still result in many unpredictable and beautiful colors, manifesting the secrets of ancient oriental ceramic arts.

Origin

Chaozhou, a coastal city in Guangdong province, is one of the birthplaces of Chinese ceramic culture. The earliest ceramic and porcelain activity here can be traced back 1300 years; after long years of development it is now one of the largest ceramic-producing areas in all of China, and as such has earned the title “Ceramics Capital of China”. In addition, Chaozhou is well-known for its oolong teas, of which Phoenix Dan Cong is the most famous.