He Xin Qinghua Doucai Porcelain Teacup with Lacquer Saucer, Purple

SHANG XIA's Qinghua Doucai Porcelain Teacup with Lacquer Saucer is created by ceramic craftsman He Xin. It preserves, extracts, and transforms classic Chinese cultural symbols, captures the charm from the shape and innovates to present porcelain full of vitality.

The shape is derived from the classic chicken-heart cup style of the Ming Dynasty. The cup mouth is flared, the body lines are inwardly curved, the center of the cup is concave and forms a deep circular vortex, and the bottom center protrudes in the shape of a chicken heart, hence the name. It is made from treasured raw kaolin ore materials that have been piled and aged according to ancient methods for more than three years and fired with the complex doucai technique. Secondary coloring is applied on the plain body fired in a wood-fired kiln at a temperature above 1300°C. The blank space within the outline of the blue and white pattern is delicately painted with mineral pigments, and then it is put into the kiln again for low-temperature baking at 800°C.

The stem-patterned decoration exquisitely depicted on the cup body originated in the Han Dynasty and is one of the classic porcelain decorative patterns in China. The lotus stems wind and twine gracefully, endlessly, revealing the elegant charm of "growing in muddy water yet remaining unstained". Within the twists and turns of plants lies the perception of life's cycles of the four seasons, conveying the meaning of endless prosperity. This chicken-heart cup has five colored grounds of gold, green, purple, red, and yellow, corresponding to the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth respectively. The bright colors flow on the cup body, and the saucer adopts the classic lacquer technique. The lacquer surface has a warm texture and is decorated with gold foil on the edge, which is beautiful and comfortable.