Title
Tea bowl
Year/Period
Song dynasty (960-1279 CE)
Region
Jian kilns, Fujian province, China
Object Type
Material
Technique
Dimension
Object size: H6.4 x Dia12.7 cm
Accession No.
C-1421
Collection of
Credit Line
Purchased with funds from The Shaw Foundation
This conical 'jian' (建) tea bowl is covered with a brown glaze marked with creamy spots. The dark colour of this type of bowls complimented the white foam that resulted from using whisked powdered tea during this period.Jian wares were used by the ruling elites as well as by monks and ordinary people. Japanese monks who travelled to China found these bowls being used for tea. The monks were so charmed by them, they brought the bowls back to Japan, where they were later imitated.
