Tea with an Oriental Beauty

A taste of late Qing dynasty

Dark green glazed porcelain tea bowl by Michel François

Owning a dark bowl inspired by the Jianyang bowls of the Song dynasty is a way to connect to the essence of Chinese beauty. That's why it fits so well in this late Qing garden of the Lin family in Banciao. The depth of its color and its beauty comes to life outdoors. This shows the incredible connection of such dark glazed bowls with nature. Here, this unique bowl is simply photographed as an object of art.

However, it's much more than a decorative object. There are several ways to use such a tea bowl:

1. To whisk matcha, green tea powder, like during the Song dynasty and like the Japanese Chado,
2. To brew loose green tea or Wenshan Baozhong directly in the bowl,
3. To drink a large cup of tea prepared in a large teapot,
4. To serve as a waste water bowl when you prepare tea in a small teapot or gaiwan.