Shino-glazed stoneware・cobalt・14 day wood-fired

This shino-glazed wood-fired tea bowl is one of twenty that we commissioned from Taiwanese ceramicist Song Jin. This is the third collection we’ve acquired from the artist.

The irregular shape of Song Jin's tea bowls is an expression of the artist's belief that a circle can take many forms, and need not be symmetrical to be perfect. While this asymmetry departs from traditional forms, Song Jin pays homage to Chinese tradition by using cobalt in his pieces, a nod to blue and white porcelain.

Each bowl is hand-thrown, then shaped by hand. Once air dried, the piece is painted with layers of cobalt and shino - each layer allowed to air-dried before more layers are applied. The bowl is then fired in a wood-kiln for 7 days. Two months later, the piece is re-fired for another 7 days. This long, and repeat firing produces a jade like exterior with both depth and sheen. No two bowls are alike.

About Tea Bowls

In Japan, tea bowls are traditionally used to drink whisked powdered tea (matcha). In Taiwan, they are often used to drink loose leaf tea. We've adopted this latter approach. It's quite simple - and works wonders on most of our teas.

Simply warm a tea bowl, add tea leaves, and add water. We suggest using 1 to 2 grams less tea than our normal recommended dosage, and filling the bowl 2/3 of the way to the top. Adding a slow steady stream of the water over the leaves also help the leaves settle to the bottom. Steep until leaves have just opened. Sip, and add more water if necessary.

Drinking tea from a bowl is both casual, and elegant. It's also a very personal and comforting experience.

Approximate dimensions: 75mm tall, 110mm diameter, 300ml volume・Artist: 宋錦