White Gai Wan Tea Cup

These exquisite teacups combine the highest level of traditional Chinese porcelain craftsmanship with a modern, elegant form. These cups are made to use during gongfu-style tea preparation to concetrate aromas and display accurate colors of the brewed tea. This makes them equally perfect for imbibing fine spirits. Traditional gongfu teacups are very small compared to western styles and these are particularly delicate in form and appearance.  
These pieces are part of the Dehua+ collection, called so because they are crafted in the renowned Dehua kilns of Fujian province and selected because of their elegant form that speaks to both traditional and modern sensibility. Although Chinese white porcelain that resembles what we know today can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 CE), Dehua porcelain gained international notoriety during the Ming dynasty in 17th and 18th centuries, as it began to dominate the international market. The original term “Blanc de Chine” is the French term for Dehua white porcelain from the Ming Dynasty. In 2006, the traditional firing technique of Dehua white porcelain was listed as one of the first national intangible cultural heritages in China.
Dehua porcelain is known for its alabaster color, high gloss, high thermal stability and resistance to temperature, pressure, abrasion, and corrosion. Being some of the thinnest porcelain in the world, it has a fragile beauty, especially appropriate for tea preparation because the color of the tea can be glimpsed through the ware itself. 
The flower-shaped cups are a traditional motif that began in the Song Dynasty (960 to 1279 CE) but Dehua tulip-shaped porcelain cups were a favorite of Qing dynasty (1644-1911 CE) emperors as tulips brought from Europe became popular in China. The artist’s love for the tulip is obvious with the subtle beauty of a bloom in two different stages of opening. These  white porcelain teacups are a simple yet elegant combination of the past and the modern.