Shino Cloud, No. 4

Shino・Stoneware・Wood-fired・Knife-cut

Tea bowls in Zhang Yun Cheng’s Shino Cloud series were first hand-thrown, then shaped with a series of knife-cuts to create their unique geometric facets. A final turn on the wheel smoothed away the angularity, giving the bowls a comfortable rounded profile.

This bowl was given a thin shino interior glaze, and a thicker external glaze. It was then fired in a wood-kiln for five days. This long firing created the dramatic pattern on the bowl’s surfaces. By perfectly controlling temperatures in the kiln, the ceramicist was able to create an intentional “crawl” to the glaze, wherein the molten glaze pulls together to form curd-like patterns on the clay surface. On this bowl, the crawling pattern resembles leopard skin - with areas of thick drips over the exposed clay. The interior is more subdued, with smaller curds tinged with the patina of tea used to pre-season the bowl.

Similar to other bowls in this current collection, the weight and shape of this bowl is perfectly balanced in the hand.

Approximate dimensions: 100mm tall, 105mm diameter, 385ml・Artist: 張允澄

About Tea Bowls

In Taiwan, tea bowls are often used to drink loose leaf tea. 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. Fill the bowl 2/3 of the way to the top. Pour a steady stream of water over the leaves to help them settle to the bottom. Steep until leaves have just opened. Sip, and add more water if necessary.

Usage and care: Hand-wash only, mild detergent is ok.