Dimensions: Height 7 cm Wide 12,6 cm Depth 12,6 cm
Weight: 366 grams

This finely potted tea bowl, with a gently flaring rim and a slightly tapering body, stands on a short, unglazed footring revealing the buff stoneware body. The interior and exterior are covered in a lustrous black glaze with subtle russet streaks and oil-spot effects, characteristic of Jian ware from Fujian province. The glaze thins at the rim, creating a brownish edge, and stops short above the foot, leaving a rough surface where the bowl was supported in the kiln. The base bears a potter’s mark.

Jian ware bowls such as this were prized during the Song dynasty for tea competitions (doucha 斗茶), where the quality of the whisked tea froth was judged. The dark glaze enhanced the visual contrast with the pale tea froth, making them highly desirable among scholars and the imperial court. Their reputation extended to Japan, where such bowls were imported and revered in the context of Chanoyu (tea ceremony), where they are known as tenmoku.