{"product_id":"one-of-a-kind-wood-fired-jianshui-clay-tea-cup","title":"One of a Kind Wood Fired Jianshui Clay Tea Cup :: Seattle Inventory","description":"\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWe made a goal this year to gain a better understanding on the processes for creating teaware. Jianshui is our favorite place for high quality modern gongfu teaware. Glen spent nearly a week in Jianshui this Spring. He spent many hours in the pottery studios there learning from the masters.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eOur goal was to make as many teacups as we could and have them wood fired. This was an ambitious undertaking. Glen spent 2 full days from early morning until late at night working at the pottery wheel. After the cups were dried they were given their final shape. Once the shape of the cup was set Glen added his unique touch by scooping out small chunks of clay to create a unique and tactile texture. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThese cups feel incredible in the hand. You just want to keep holding them. They really are hard to set down. One added benefit of the texture on the cups is that they transfer very little heat into your fingers when drinking very hot tea. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThere is a sort of new school pottery scene growing in Jianshui. There is some real magic being done there. The kilns are managed in Jianshui by pottery masters from Fujian. They have really upped the game on what is possible to be produced in Jianshui!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eWood fired kilns in China use prepared pine wood. There are multiple firings where the kilns are manned 24\/7 with 4 people. Temperatures are kept constant around 1270°C (~2300°F). It is a hot and labor intensive job. The fires must be managed precisely to avoid temperature spikes or drops. The risk is high and pieces often fail. Between firings the kiln is allowed to cool down entirely. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eThe entire process for firing these cups takes nearly half a month. It was an incredibly expensive endeavor and the cost of these cups reflects that. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eDuring the wood firing process the pitch in the pine vaporizes into the smoke and settles on to the shelves above the tea cups. As the pitch gathers it drips on to the teacups creating the wood fired pitch glaze you see on these cups. As the smoke and heat swirl through the kiln additional pitch is deposited on the sides as well. This wood fired pitch glaze balances and smooths the flavor of the tea. You can really tell the difference when drinking with these cups.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eWe really love Jianshui clay. It has a purity and soul that comes through the tea session. For these cups we used the rare Wanyao clay. With changing government regulations it has become difficult or impossible to mine for new clay under Wanyao village in Jianshui. Most Jianshui teaware now are made of a blend of clay from as far as 25km away. It's still good clay, but the purists prefer the old Wanyao clay. The clay in these cups was mined 20+ years ago, processed, and has been aging since then.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eJianshui clay is amazing to brew with. We believe the quality of the clay speaks for itself. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThese are single fired and unglazed. This is a true clay which lacks any sand. The natural minerals in the clay will enhance the flavor of your tea. Jianshui is in Yunnan, and the clay used in these teapots comes from the same mountains that grow puerh tea trees. We appreciate that connection.\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003ca href=\"http:\/\/crimsonlotustea.live\/blogs\/puerh\/12799169-jian-shui-zi-tao-pottery\" title=\"Crimson Lotus Tea Jian Shui Zi Tao Pottery\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eWe blogged about this unique town here.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSince these are handmade products each are unique. There are slight variations to each. \u003c\/span\u003eThe pine wood smoke and pitch glaze create unique wood fired patterns. No two cups are the same. We will pick the perfect one for you!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003eThese cups average around 40ml in size. They are perfect for gongfu tea appreciation.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2 class=\"p1\"\u003eHow To Choose Your Cup\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWe really want you to get exactly the cup that you want. If you trust us to pick the perfect cup out for you we will do that! If you want a little more control we will reach out to you after you order and help you pick out the perfect cup. \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"p1\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEach cup comes with a padded tea cup bag.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003chr\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCheck out our video series from Jianshui:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/H22bki_zsmA\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/GRGbbbX93bk\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/l3JUBMSPLGQ\" height=\"315\" width=\"560\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Crimson Lotus Tea","offers":[{"title":"Pick out the perfect cup for me.","offer_id":52327083835708,"sku":"WoodFired_JIanshui_Teacup-pick-it-for-me","price":99.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"I want to pick it out myself.","offer_id":52327083868476,"sku":"WoodFired_JIanshui_Teacup-help-me-choose","price":99.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0303\/0437\/files\/6BFEB6E9-6EFD-4FFD-9392-E15603186661.jpg?v=1755128147","url":"https:\/\/crimsonlotustea.live\/products\/one-of-a-kind-wood-fired-jianshui-clay-tea-cup","provider":"Crimson Lotus Tea","version":"1.0","type":"link"}