Title
Tea bowl
Year/Period
13th century, Song dynasty (960-1279)
Region
Fujian province, China
Object Type
Material
Dimension
Object size: H 5,
x Dia: 10.5
x Dia: 10.5
Accession No.
1996-01770
Collection of
Credit Line
Purchased with funds from The Shaw Foundation
The body of this tea bowl has the characteristic of Jian wares that is coarse-grained with a dark stoneware body. These bowls usually have dark shiny glazes of brownish black or bluish black with brownish streaks also known as “hare’s fur” effect. Jian tea bowls are limited in shape with the most common form, such as this bowl, that is deep with rounded sides.Jian wares were used by the wealthy 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.
