The Record of Tea states: "If you wish to whisk tea, you must first warm the bowl. If it is cold, the tea will not float. The body of the rabbit's fur bowls is thick, so they retain heat for a long time and are very suitable for use."
Jian Zhan pottery represents the pinnacle of Chinese black porcelain and was an inseparable part of Song Dynasty tea culture. However, with the rise of loose-leaf tea, it slowly gave way to Yixing teaware. It continued to prosper in Japan, where it is known as Tenmoku (天目). The Japanese term Tenmoku comes from Tianmu Mountain in Zhejiang, where Japanese monks once studied and brought the teaware style back to Japan. Nowadays, it is a national treasure in Japan, and many local pottery artists in China are hard at work to remake this once-forgotten part of the Chinese tea ceremony. Jian ware is not only teaware, it is an art form and an important part of history. One we can get lost in for hours just by looking at its cosmic-like glaze.
The History of Tenmoku Pottery
Jian ware (also known as Jian Zhan or Tian Mu Porcelain) is a type of Chinese black porcelain originating from Jianyang, Fujian province.
Pottery has existed in Fujian province since the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420–589). However, the Jian Zhan teaware flourished during the Song Dynasty (960–1279), a golden age for ceramics and tea culture. Nowadays, it is revered as the pinnacle of black porcelain ware.
At the time, tea was a big part of Chinese culture and lifestyle, although it was drunk in a very particular way. Tea was compressed into bricks, ground up into a powder, and whisked in tea bowls, much like present-day Japanese matcha green tea.
Once the green powder was whisked against the brilliant black, blue, and purple hues of Tian Mu bowls, it created an exquisite contrast. Jianzhan was heavily used in tea competitions where the froth of matcha was appreciated. Against the dark glaze, the green foam was exceptionally pleasing to look at. So much so that it was proclaimed that this teaware is the only true way tea should be enjoyed!
In the Song Dynasty's "The Record of Tea" it was said about Jian Zhan:
"Tea is of light color and looks best in black cups. The cups made at Jianyang are bluish-black, marked like the fur of a hare. Being of rather thick fabric, they retain the heat so that when once warmed through, they cool very slowly, and they are additionally valued on this account. None of the cups produced at other places can rival these. Blue and white cups are not used by those who give tea-tasting parties."
Jian Zhan cups inspired the development of Japanese Tenmoku teaware, which was highly prized by Japanese tea masters. This connection reflects the cultural exchange between China and Japan during the Song Dynasty. In 1335, during the Kamakura period, a Japanese monk who had been practicing in China brought back a Jian tea cup. In Japan, the style began to be known as Tenmoku, the Japanese way to say Tian Mu.
The style of teaware quickly became a national favorite in Japan, where the Japanese tea ceremony, Chanoyu, was slowly gaining popularity. The beautiful vibrancy of freshly ground matcha powder complemented the bowls greatly. Since then, the techniques of making tenmoku-glazed chawan (tea bowls) have been passed on through generations to this day.
Unfortunately, this was not the case in China. Following the Song Dynasty, the elite switched to favoring loose leaf tea. Loose leaf tea required steeping in teapots, thus Yixing ware became the teaware of choice. Since that era, Yixing ware has continued to flourish in China, while Jian Zhan has become all but abandoned.
Since the 1900s, there has been a wave of potters in China dedicated to reviving this beautiful old part of Chinese culture. Under the guidance of some revered Japanese tenmoku potters, they have been reclaiming the style, rebuilding old kins, as well as making new ones.
In 1979, re-firing was jointly organized by the Fujian Research Institute, the Central Academy of Arts and Crafts, and the Jianyang Porcelain Factory, with the aim of restoring the firing techniques of "Hare's Fur" glaze of the Song Dynasty. The following year, 1981, they fired the imitation Song Dynasty Jian Zhan with the traditional dragon kiln firing method. This re-firing marks the revival of the Jianzhan firing technique, which has been lost for more than 700 years.
Jian Tea Cup Making
A Jianzhan teacup is known for its simple shape, yet its heaviness and sturdiness feel very pleasant in the hands. The style is characterized by the subtle effects in the glazes. These can only be achieved with a high-iron glaze and high firing temperatures, using special kilns. These patterns are characterized as follows: "Hare's Fur", "Oil Drop", and "Partridge Feathers".
The clay used for Jian pottery is very high in iron and requires a very high temperature for firing. The specialized kilns required for Jian Zhan are difficult to build and therefore rare.
Building an appropriate kiln is only a part of the struggles that Jian Zhan potters face. Only with the right kiln can the glaze run so beautifully, creating the iconic patterns of this pottery style, and thickening at the bottom of the tea cup's foot.
The parts of the process most worth noting are:
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Proper clay
Proper clay is one of the most crucial elements of Jian ware. The clay in Fujian province is extremely high in iron content, far more than that in any other region. Many have tried to replicate Jian ware with local clay from their regions, all to no avail. -
Shape the bowl
Jian Zhan pottery is most commonly made on potters' wheels. The shapes are quite simple. A wide, round bowl with a slightly high foot, allowing for the glaze to gracefully drip without sticking to the bottom of the kiln. -
Special glaze
The glaze for Jian ware must be hand-made. It is not easy to get the glaze recipe right, and many potters spend years experimenting until they finally have the right one.
To make the glaze for Jian zhan pottery, an iron-rich glaze is mixed with plant ash. -
Precise glazing
Glazing is yet another delicate task. The bowl has to be skillfully glazed and balanced. If the glaze is too thick, it will run and stick to the bottom of the kiln. If too thin, it will not produce beautiful galactic colors and unique patterns. -
Firing the glazed pottery
Perhaps the most challenging step is the firing. It requires precise temperature control and timing – the smallest change can alter the final colors and patterns dramatically. Getting the right temperature/time ratio requires countless experiments.
Finally, once the kiln has been fired and is ready to open, only a fraction of the Jian ware is suitable for sale.
Interestingly enough, all Jian ware is made and glazed equally. The differences in the final patterns will depend on the firing temperatures, time, and position in the kiln.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Drinking Tea From Jian Ware?
When we think of the health benefits of drinking tea, we rarely consider the tea utensils to be a part of those benefits. In fact, it is all the components of tea that make it good for our health.
There is a Chinese saying: "Water is the mother of tea and teaware is the father of tea."
They are indeed inseparable.
The high iron content of Jian ware is said to slightly increase the alkalinity of tea water. While this effect is subtle, many tea drinkers notice that tea brewed in Jian cups feels smoother and rounder in taste, with more pronounced aromatics.
You could try a small experiment at home to see the benefits first-hand. Brew the same tea and pour some into both a Jian Zhan tea cup and a regular porcelain teacup. Sip them side by side and notice the difference of taste, mouthfeel, and aroma. Due to their heat-conserving properties, the Jianzhan bowls are particularly well-suited to higher-temperature teas, such as oolongs and Pu-erh, where heat retention is beneficial.
Afterward, you can try leaving some tea in both teacups untouched for about half a day. Sip them and notice the difference. People usually report that the tea in a Jian teacup tastes fresh, while tea in another cup will develop some bitterness. This is just another way of testing the potent mineral qualities of the teacup glaze.
When drinking tea from a Jianzhan teacup, the temperature of the brew stays warm for a long time without burning you. Sipping the tea, watch the colors of the glaze gently intermingle with the brew. The dark yet vibrant colors of the iron-rich glaze will unite, forming beautiful gold, blue, and other iridescent colors.