Drinking tea is a wonderful journey for both the taste buds and the soul. Amidst the curling aroma of tea, besides savoring the mellow and sweet flavors of the tea soup, exploring the pleasure from the tea set is an especially unique enjoyment. In Tongxin She Teahouse, there is a "Poetic Porcelain Cup with Vermilion Pattern - Jingdezhen Handwritten Tea-tasting Cup with the Poem of 'Seven Bowls of Tea' and 'Brewing Tea in the Examination Hall', with a Copper Rim", which can be regarded as an excellent tea ware, bringing tea lovers a distinctive tea-tasting experience.
At the first sight of this tea-tasting cup, one will be attracted by its unique appearance. It adopts a wonderful combination of white porcelain body and vermilion pattern. The white porcelain body is pure and elegant, like the first snow in winter; the vermilion pattern is bright and eye-catching, resembling the flowing charm of the sunset glow. The two complement each other, just like an exquisite painting. The rim of the cup is wrapped with a copper edge, made of purple copper, which matches perfectly with the vermilion pattern, adding a bit more of an antique and elegant feeling. The cup is small and delicate in size, with a diameter of 6.3 cm, a height of 4.7 cm, and a full capacity of 75 ml. Holding it in the hand, the warm and smooth glaze feels delicate, as if shaking hands with a gentle old friend, making people can't help but want to play with it carefully.
After a deeper understanding of this cup, more surprising details can be found. In terms of the production process, it embodies the superb craftsmanship of the craftsmen in Jingdezhen. Each cup is meticulously made. From making the porcelain body to applying the glaze, and then to the painting of the vermilion pattern and the copper-wrapping process, every step is filled with the painstaking efforts and concentration of the craftsmen. The lines of the cup are smooth and natural, simple yet full of charm. Whether it is the curvature of the cup body or the contour of the cup rim, they are just right, giving people a harmonious aesthetic feeling.
What is most fascinating is the poem of "Seven Bowls of Tea" written on the cup body. It is written in cursive script, and the charm of cursive script is vividly displayed here. The strokes are simple, graceful, and completed in one go. Those flowing and agile lines seem to be the emotions freely expressed by the writer. Looking at the cursive script on the cup, it is as if one can see the free and unrestrained appearance of the writer wielding the brush, and feel the joy and interest from it. While savoring the tea soup, carefully reading the content of the poem, from the production process to the characteristics of the lines, then to the turning of the brush in calligraphy, and finally understanding what is written in the poem, it is a progressive process. Unconsciously, one becomes friends with the cup in hand.
When we hold this "Poetic Porcelain Cup with Vermilion Pattern" and take a sip of the fragrant tea, the taste of the tea soup spreads in our mouths, and the cup in our hand seems to come to life. It is no longer just a tea-drinking utensil, but a confidant accompanying us to enjoy the leisurely time. Whether we are sipping tea alone, immersing ourselves in our own world, or gathering with friends and chatting about daily life, this cup can add an air of elegance and interest to the tea affair.
For literati and refined scholars, such a tea cup that combines practicality and artistic value is undoubtedly a necessary item on the tea table. It can not only hold the fragrant tea but also carry the charm and appeal of traditional culture. In Tongxin She Teahouse, you might as well pick up this "Poetic Porcelain Cup with Vermilion Pattern" in person, feel the joy of integrating tea drinking and appreciating the tea ware, and start a wonderful encounter with the tea ware.