Jian Zhan (建盏), or “Jian Tea Bowl," is a unique type of ancient Chinese ceramic from the Song Dynasty (10th–13th century). Famous for its glossy black glaze and "oil spot" or "hare’s fur" patterns, it was prized for enhancing tea flavors. Fired at extreme temperatures in Fujian’s kilns, these bowls reflect China’s tea culture zenith.
Dehua County, located in Quanzhou, Fujian, China, is renowned for its white porcelain.
Its kilns flourished during the Tang (618-907 CE) and Song dynasties(960–1279 CE), peaked in the Yuan and Ming periods, and remain famous today, particularly for their white porcelain. Fired at high temperatures, the unglazed porcelain exhibits a smooth, jade-like texture, appearing crystal-clear and pure white.
Dehua white porcelain is renowned for its "high-toughness thin-bodied高韧薄胎瓷衣" technique, a breakthrough in ceramic craftsmanship that achieves exceptional strength in ultra-thin structures. This technology enables the creation of porcelain pieces with egg-shell thinness (0.2–0.5 mm) while maintaining remarkable durability, making it a hallmark of Dehua’s artistry. However, not every piece of Dehua white porcelain employs this technique, as it involves significantly higher production costs.
