Jingdezhen Blue & White Gaiwan, Tibetan Peace Sutra, Wood-Fired, 80ml

Written in prayer. Fired in flame. Made to last a lifetime. An 80ml wood-fired gaiwan from Jingdezhen's Tuan Kiln, hand-painted in cobalt blue with Tibetan Peace Sutra scripture — blessing each cup with the protection of the Three Jewels.

This is not a vessel for tea alone.

Encircling the outer wall in hand-painted cobalt blue is the Tibetan Peace Sutra — a blessing carried in script: peace through the day, peace through the night, forever sheltered by the Three Jewels. At the base, an upward-facing lotus petal relief grounds the piece in one of Buddhism's most enduring symbols of purity and awakening. Together, they make this gaiwan something you don't simply use — you receive it.

The Craft

Made at Tuan Kiln in Jingdezhen — the city that has defined Chinese porcelain for over a thousand years — this gaiwan is entirely hand-thrown and hand-painted by skilled artisans working in the classical blue-and-white tradition. The cobalt is applied by brush, stroke by stroke, before glazing. No transfers. No shortcuts.

It is fired in a wood kiln (柴窑), a method increasingly rare in contemporary ceramics. Wood firing is unpredictable and demanding — the flame interacts with the glaze in ways no electric kiln can replicate, producing the characteristic depth of color that collectors immediately recognize: a cobalt blue that is not flat but alive, with subtle variation in tone that proves each piece passed through real fire.

The glaze is thick and luminous — what potters describe as 肥润, fat and lustrous — with a surface that rewards touch as much as sight. The hand feels the weight of intention.

In Use

At 80ml, this is a true gongfu gaiwan — sized for precise, attentive brewing. The proportions are calibrated for single-serving infusion: enough volume to let the leaf open fully, small enough to control temperature and steeping time with care. The lid sits with precision. The pour is clean.

Approximately 11cm in height. It fits the hand the way well-made things do — as if it were made for yours specifically.

On Rarity

Wood-fired Jingdezhen gaiwans of this quality are not produced in volume. The kiln conditions cannot be standardized; each firing yields pieces that are related but not identical. What arrives to you is one — singular in its firing history, singular in the minor variations that wood flame leaves behind as its signature.

It is, without qualification, a collector's piece. It is also entirely functional. These two things are not in conflict.

Details

• Origin: Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, China — Tuan Kiln (团窑)
• Firing Method: Wood kiln (柴窑)
• Decoration: Hand-painted cobalt blue & white; Tibetan Peace Sutra scripture (exterior); upward lotus petal relief (base)
• Capacity: 80ml
• Height: Approx. 11cm
• Use: Gongfu tea brewing; display; collection
• Care: Hand wash recommended. Do not microwave.