The JIngdezhen Blue and White Tea Set

This stylish seven-piece tea set is truly a mark of respect to the years of tea drinking tradition that started in Asia and now equally cherished by the rest of the world. With its intricate shape and particular detailing, this package could be everyone’s gift. The traditional pattern is an interior decorator’s piece from heaven to add it as a highlight to any Asian homes. More than that, it is best enjoyed with friends and visitors for that anticipated tea session with them.

To better understand the magnificence of this set, one must look at how it its extensive preparation.

The creation of this item is very exceptional since it is all handmade. Handmade ceramic teapots are very rare and exceptional.

The very production of this set is limited since it requires highly skilled hands to mold and paint them like this.

When we say limited, the manufacturers mean it with a capital “L”. The materials used are blue and white porcelain, so named because of the white pottery/porcelain being decorated with blue hue from cobalt oxide.  Originally appearing as grayish-black, the cobalt oxide turns to blue when fired at a temperature of one thousand three hundred degrees Celsius. The blue and white pattern is glazed and fired. Due to its extensive use of heat in processing, this wonderful, dramatic set has a moniker of its own, Underglazed Blue Porcelain.

The whole fiery process does not end there. To make it look striking like this set, red coloring (out of copper oxide) is added so that it appears as a contrasting agent to the dominating hue of blue. One thousand two hundred fifty to one thousand two hundred eighty degrees Celsius of heat is applied inside the oven to produce a calming shade of red.

Again, the design is either hand made by stenciling or picture-transferring. The result is an artisan’s masterpiece and a tea lover’s gift.

With the whole firing process, it is but right to make the pots and cups

The JIngdezhen Blue and White Tea Set 2

double-layered so that the hands will not be burned from the hot brewed tea inside them. The drinkers will need the extra layer since the unique property of the material holds in the warmth of the tea for a long time. So even if someone has not sipped his/her tea yet, the heat is still there together with the flavor and aroma.

The shaping and molding are specifically planned with a purpose. The wavy lip of the cups is made so as to hold the aroma inside longer than the usual, perfect for those teas with strong fragrance. The material’s ability to retain is reiterated, showing its significance to the whole process of tae preparation, tea drinking and enjoyment.

While sipping the tea of choice infused in this set, one may wonder where the whole blue and porcelain industry started. Some six hundred years ago, this porcelain was mass-produced at Jingdezhen, China which earned its reputation as the “Porcelain Capital” of the world. It was more emphasized and done with industrial fineness by Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1661-1722). Up to this day, the production at Jingdezhen continues but is now limited to a certain numbers per year.

These handmade ceramic teapots are works of arts by master potters in China. The years of practice and preparation and the finished product itself are proof of its high-quality.