Jingdezhen Mei Leaf Gaiwan Red Blossom 160ml
$74.89
This red plum blossom gaiwan is entirely handcrafted. Unlike ordinary mass-produced porcelain with printed patterns, the red plum design on the bowl uses underglaze coloring technique. It is hand-painted by professional ceramic artisans, then fired at a high temperature of 1350°C, which fuses the hand-drawn pattern with the porcelain completely. The design will never fade, peel or blur with long-term use.
With a 160ml capacity, it is ideal for daily gongfu tea brewing for one to two people. This gaiwan does not absorb or mix flavors, so it can better bring out the natural aroma of tea leaves. It works perfectly for brewing all types of tea.
Underglaze Color Technique
Underglaze color is a time-honored ceramic craft in China with a history of thousands of years, and it is also a traditional classic technique of Jingdezhen. Gaiwans made with this craft develop a dense and hard glaze surface after high-temperature firing. They are wear-resistant and acid-alkali resistant, and will not scratch, fade or have patterns peel off even with daily friction, repeated rinsing with boiling water or cleaning with detergents. The pigments never come into direct contact with the tea liquid, and no harmful substances will leach out after high-temperature firing.
The Making Process of Underglaze Color Technique
- The porcelain clay is first shaped and fired at a high temperature to create a dense biscuit-fired body.
- Artisans hand-paint the red plum blossom patterns directly onto the biscuit-fired body. Once finished, a food-grade transparent glaze is applied evenly over the patterns and the entire surface of the body.
- It is fired in a kiln at a temperature above 1300°C (2372°F). Under high heat, the pigment molecules fully integrate into the molecular structure of the glaze and the porcelain body. In the end, the patterns are permanently sealed under the transparent glaze, forming an inseparable whole with the ceramic.
Gaiwan Made from Jingdezhen Kaolin Clay
Jingdezhen has a thousands-year history of porcelain making in China, mainly due to its high-quality porcelain clay resources and exquisite craftsmanship.
Kaolin is a top-grade material for firing high-end porcelain. It has a pure composition, extremely low iron content and few impurities. When fired at a temperature above 1300°C (2372°F), the porcelain body is fully vitrified, with a dense and hard texture that is white and lustrous, and has an extremely low porosity. As a material for tea utensils, it does not absorb or mix flavors, and can fully restore the original taste and aroma of tea leaves. It also resists sudden temperature changes, so it is not easy to crack when brewing tea with boiling water, and it has strong plasticity for easy shaping.
| Origin | Jingdezhen, China |
|---|---|
| Material | Ceramic |
| Capacity | 160 ml (5.41 fl oz) |
| Craft | Handcrafted, high-temperature fired at 1350°C (2462°F) |
| Dimensions | Height 10 cm (3.94 in), Diameter 9.4 cm (3.70 in), Saucer Diameter 11.7 cm (4.61 in) |
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