Handmade Jianyang Jianzhan Tea Cup – Multicoloured Partridge Feather

Generally speaking, the temperature of making Jianzhan is around 1300℃. For the multicolored oil spot Jianzhan, it is also very strict on temperature control and firing time, otherwise, it cannot get ideal Jianzhan. TeaVivre’s this Partridge Feather Jianzhan has clear color and vivid spots. The spots will reflect different colors with different kinds of tea liquid while we pour the tea into Jianzhan tea bowl.

It is such a wonderful thing to smell the attractive tea fragrance, and enjoy the charming spots inside the tea liquid.

Jian ware represents the pinnacle of ancient Chinese black porcelain, and it is also a pottery art that combines earth and fire. Using the clay and glaze with rich iron in Jianyang as raw material, it has to process 13 classical Chinese traditional handicrafts such as selecting porcelain and setting cup-model. It’s gorgeous pattern is naturally produced in a kiln where to be fired in 1300℃ high temperature. Therefore, each cup is a unique "orphan" under uncontrollable situation, which is also the distinctive charm of Jianzhan.

Jianzhan has the characteristics of “one color into the kiln, a riot of colors out”. Each Jianzhan adopts the same glaze, but due to the diverse firing methods of masters, different indoor temperature and other factors, the final cups will be distinct in the patterns and glaze colors. As we all know that no two leaves are exactly the same in the world, which is also applicable to Jianzhen. However, one type of Jianzhans are similar in general.

Jian zhan is made of the clay with iron content over 8%. Therefore, drinking tea with Jianzhan can not only improve the flavor, but also gives a softer taste.

Mr. Zhang has been influenced by Jianzhan culture since his early childhood, and encouraged by his family has studied the manufacturing techniques of pottery since then. He has been actively engaged in the research of Jianzhan for many years, and is especially skilled in combining contemporary elements with more traditional and ancient Jianzhan crafts. His style exhibits charm with elegant, skillful glaze, and is deeply loved by Jianzhan enthusiasts.

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.