Tea enthusiasts may have had the experience of buying a variety of cups when they first started learning about tea, such as bell-shaped cups, heart-shaped cups, slim-waist cups, blue-and-white thin Porcelain, Ru kiln pieces with crackle glaze, Tenmoku bowls…
Tea ware provides a direct sense of beauty, a form of aesthetic that can be touched by the senses, and so many tea lovers are connoisseurs of tea ware. If they find you kindred in spirit, they could tell you all about the history and origin of their tea cups in great detail.
The appreciation of tea ware is similar to drinking tea, requiring careful savoring and discernment to notice subtle changes and discover finer beauty…
Initially, I was fond of polychrome ware due to its rich colors that easily attract attention. Over time, however, I found that understated green tea ware is also appealing, as it endures solitude and becomes more flavorful with use. It can be paired with any type of tea, and the empty spaces give us room for imagination, resonating with the essence of tea.
Gradually, from chance encounters with cups, I began to desire to own my own cup and embarked on the journey of “nourishing” it. Crackle-glazed Ru ware, like Pu'er tea that improves with age, reveals golden and iron lines through its lustrous Orange-red tea liquor, telling guests that both the ware and its owner have stories to share…
Later, I became fascinated with the transformations of tea cups. Before firing is complete, even the most experienced artisans do not know how high the quality will reach. This is also true for Tenmoku bowls. These changes, stemming from subtle details, combine to create a mysterious power that is irresistible.
In the end, the style of tea ware I prefer has become simpler. Intricate patterns and bright colors no longer pique my interest as much as the beauty of simplicity, antiquity, and thickness – this is precisely what is embodied in wood-fired wares.
Wood-fired products, after being fired at high temperatures without glaze for three days or longer, develop a range of colorful glaze variations, appearing rustic and natural. Due to the unique nature of wood-firing, each piece is one-of-a-kind. After being nourished with tea water, the vessels become even more mellow. The uneven tiny pores in the Clay allow the tea water and vapor to permeate the vessel itself, elevating the wood-fired work. A good wood-fired piece is itself a beautiful world, where mountains and scenery can be imagined, offering new discoveries every time it is handled, truly amazing.