Jian Zhan: An Easy Guide for Novices

Some tea connoisseurs have inquired as to how to introduce Jian Zhan to relatives and friends who are unaware of it. Why Jian Zhan is so attractive is hard to sum up in a single sentence or two.

In order to address these fundamental questions, we are posting this paper. It would be a unique kind of fate if those who have never heard of Jian Zhan might learn to love and appreciate it from this post.

1.The Development and Background of Jian Zhan

2.The Unique Materials Employed in Jian Zhan's Creations

3. Which Jian Zhan Shapes Are Most Popular

4. The Enigmatizing Beauty of Jian Zhan's Glazes

5. Four Easy Ways to Tell whether Jian Zhan Is Real

6. Selecting Jian Zhan: Four Crucial Pointers

7. Is Jian Zhan Toxic?

8. How "Tea Battles" Employed Jian Zhan during the Song Dynasty.

9. The Incredible Advantages of Tea Consumption by Jian Zhan

10. Three Guidelines for Easily Developing Jian Zhan's Multihued Beauty

An Introduction to Jian Zhan

1. Jian Zhan's Development and History

To understand an object, it’s important to first understand its history and culture. Jian Zhan originated in the late Tang Dynasty and Five Dynasties period, flourishing during the Song Dynasty. It was a favored tea utensil of the imperial court and is considered one of the eight famous porcelains of the Song Dynasty.

The term "Jian Zhan" refers to the black-glazed porcelain made in Jian Kiln, located in present-day Jianyang, Fujian Province, specifically the Houji Village area in Shuiji Town. This type of porcelain is a representative of black pottery and is also known as "Tenmoku" in Japan and Taiwan. Locals refer to Jian Zhan as “black mud bowls” or “treasure bowls.”

After careful screening, the best Jian Zhan pieces are rare gems among millions of flawed ones. These are the results of the exquisite artistry that went into the Song Dynasty's tea-brewing tradition. The most well-known Jian Zhan is the "Yao Bian Tenmoku" in Tokyo's Seikado Bunko Art Museum, which is regarded as the greatest porcelain bowl in the world.

2. Jian Zhan's Distinct Materials

Selection of Clay: The clay used in Jian Zhan is sourced from nearby mines in the vicinity of the Jian Kiln, more especially from the vicinity of Houji Village in Shuiji Town. This clay's high iron content gives the final product its characteristic "iron body" appearance.

The glaze is prepared by finely grinding and filtering locally available minerals, such as wood ash and red clay, before using them. Among the more than 13 processes in the production process are selection, crushing, washing, mixing, molding, firing, glazing, and firing once more.

The process of creating a flawless Jian Zhan is laborious and rarely successful; occasionally, a whole kiln may yield only imperfect pieces. Achieving perfection necessitates exact control over the firing temperature in addition to mastering each process.

3. What Are the Most Popular Jian Zhan Shapes?

Jian Zhan usually has a funnel-like shape with a tiny base and large mouth. Jian Zhan is divided into four primary shapes based on differences in the mouth, belly, and foot: open mouth, inward-sloping mouth, outward-flaring mouth, and constricted mouth. There are large, medium, and small variations within these categories; the most prevalent sizes are medium and tiny.

1.Constricted Mouth: A "waterline" is formed at the inner edge of a constricted mouth due to its curved lip and inward fold. During the Song Dynasty, this was the typical form for tea combat.

2.Inward-Sloping Mouth: This kind is more rounded overall and features a lip that gradually dips inward. It is frequently observed in cups such as the Egg Cup, Prajna Cup, and Zen Cup.

3.Outward-Flaring Mouth: The bowl's lip flares outward, making it look visually pleasing. One important way to tell if a bowl has an open mouth or an outward-flaring shape is by its curve.

4.Open Mouth: Known as a "Conical Tea Bowl" because of its similarity to a classic conical hat, its shape is distinguished by a straight, slightly curved outer wall.

4. Jian Zhan's Glazes' Mysterious Beauty

Black and multicolored glazes are the two primary groups into which Jian Zhan glazes fall. Iron is reduced during high-temperature fire (around 1300°C), producing black glazes. The glaze can form a range of patterns that are frequently unpredictable, with the same glaze yielding different results with each firing, depending on the temperature and atmosphere inside the kiln.

"Wujin" (black gold), "Rabbit Hair" (Tuhou), and "Oil Drop" (You Di) glazes are examples of common black glaze kinds.

Yao Bian Jian Zhan: The most valuable and uncommon glaze variant is Yao Bian Jian Zhan, which is regarded as a gem in the ceramics industry. Due to a special kiln environment, it is distinguished by irregular yellowish-colored specks encircled by a rainbow-like brilliance. There are currently just three complete instances of Yao Bian Jian Zhan, and they are all located in Japan.

Rabbit Hair Glaze: The most recognizable and widely available variety of Jian Zhan, Rabbit Hair glaze is distinguished by its distinctive streaks that mimic rabbit fur. The finest examples of this glaze have uniformly spaced, finely detailed streaks that run from the bowl's edge to its bottom.

Oil Drop Glaze: This glaze has tiny, silvery-shaded metallic dots that resemble oil droplets. Iron oxide crystals that form during the high-temperature firing process give rise to this type of crystalline glaze.

5. Four Easy Ways to Recognize Genuine Jian Zhan

Knowing the following essential traits makes it easier to spot a genuine Jian Zhan:

Body Color: The exterior and inside of a real Jian Zhan are typically dark or gray-black in hue.
Sound: Only premium Jian Zhan has the ability to make a metallic sound when tapped with chopsticks.
Rough Texture: The bowl's insulating qualities are improved and its temperature is maintained thanks to the base's minor roughness.
Genuine Clay: Because of its high iron content, clay from the Jianyang Shuiji region is required to make True Jian Zhan.

6. Four Crucial Pointers for Selecting Jian Zhan

Shape: A well-formed Jian Zhan should have no visible fractures, bubbles, or abnormalities.
The pattern: Choose Rabbit Hair bowls that have a three-dimensional appearance, clear, uniformly spaced streaks, and a rich black tone. Select bowls for Oil Drops that have well spaced, distinct, and varied places.
Quality of Clay: A real Jian Zhan's "iron body" should be gritty and hefty, making a metal-like sound when tapped. The Jianyang Shuiji region should be the source of the clay.
Quality of Glaze: Make sure the glaze is made from local minerals because only these can create Jian Zhan's distinctive designs.

7. Is Jian Zhan toxic?

Some individuals are concerned about Jian Zhan's metallic look and tone, questioning whether it includes any harmful chemicals. This is a misconception, though. Any hazardous chemicals are removed during the firing process as long as the Jian Zhan is manufactured using genuine ingredients (Jianyang clay and regional glazes) and fired at a high temperature (about 1280°C to 1350°C). As a result, it is safe to use and the final product contains no hazardous materials.

8. How Was Jian Zhan Used in "Tea Battles" During the Song Dynasty?

Tea and a kingdom of pottery originated in China. Jian Zhan is the most recognizable example of the unbreakable union of ceramic and tea cultures.

The art of tea appreciation began when China's tea-drinking traditions flourished in the middle of the Tang Dynasty. In those days, boiling was the main technique of making tea. After boiling water, tea was made in a pot and ladled into separate tea dishes. Tea was drunk with its fine tea leaves, flavorful broth, and frothy white foam.Tea preparation advanced to the more sophisticated technique of "whisking tea," which was more complex than boiling, during the Song Dynasty. The tea bricks were still ground into a powder and then sieved through a tea strainer in this way; the finer the powder, the better. Following the boiling of the water, the tea powder was put to the tea bowl along with a small amount of hot water to form a paste. Then, while stirring the tea with a whisk, boiling water was added, resulting in a frothy suspension with a smooth, white foam. The perfect tea should have a consistent, lasting foam and no water stains on the bowl's edge.

Tea brew and tea quality were evaluated in tea tournaments known as "Dou Cha" (Tea Battles). Emperor Huizong of Song, a fervent supporter of tea culture, calligraphy, and painting, was among the tea connoisseurs of the era who strongly supported these competitions, also known as "Ming Zhan" (Tea Wars). In the book "Da Guan Tea Theory," he stated: "The best tea should have a pure white color, followed by bluish-white, grayish-white, and yellowish-white."

Regarding the requirements for tea combat, Cai Xiang wrote in his "Tea Record" that "the perfect tea should be fresh white in color, with no water marks on the bowl." The tea that has no water marks on it wins a Jian'an tea war. The tea is excellent the longer the tea foam remains. This implies that the foam on the tea bowl's interior should remain intact. The tea is deemed subpar if the foam goes away fast or if water stains show. The tea that wins two rounds would be crowned the winner of the three-round tea duel.

"Dou Cha" was an artistic endeavor that sought spiritual fulfillment rather than only judging the quality of tea. The quality of tea and tea equipment had to change to satisfy these expectations as these tea fights advanced to more sophisticated levels. Only tea bowls with exceptionally high artistic standards could match the participants' aesthetic preferences when tea wars were at their most popular.

Jian Zhan ceramics' intricate kiln variations and straightforward black glaze represent a beautiful fusion of simple, natural beauty. In addition to being a creative achievement of fusing beauty and rusticity, this also wonderfully reflects Zen philosophy.

Jian Zhan and tea were essential to intellectuals' life throughout the Song Dynasty. Their essential bond is described in several poems. In his "Palace Poems," Emperor Huizong, for example, commended the tea, saying, "The rabbit’s fur tea, brewed in a bowl, can take one into a dreamy state of intoxication." "The rabbit's fur bowl is fresh, the crab-eye tea is boiled with clear spring, mist and frost form flowers, and the clouds gently swirl," wrote renowned official Cai Xiang in his "Ten Odes of the Northern Garden – Tea Test."

In his poetry "Song Nanping Qian Shi," Su Dongpo described how a Daoist climbs Nanping Mountain to sample the tea. Suddenly, he notices that the tea has a rabbit fur design that resembles the old man's springtime wine.

"Golden yellow tea powder flies as green dust, the purple jade bowl stirs up snow-like waves, the flavor of tea battle is like light cream, and the fragrance of tea lingers, wafting like orchids," wrote the renowned Northern Song Dynasty poet Fan Zhongyan in his "Tea Battle Song."

The well-known poet Yang Wanli penned the following in his poem "Chen Jianxiao's Farewell and Sending New Tea": "The rabbit fur bowl's heart is full with snow, while the partridge bowl's surface swirls with clouds. The liquid is already scented without waiting for the breeze.

Despite its enormous popularity during the Song Dynasty, Jian Zhan rapidly declined following the Yuan and Ming Dynasties as a result of shifting cultural tastes and tea-drinking customs. They even called Jian Zhan "the most useless item." Some people thought that the Song Dynasty's downfall was caused by the Song people's infatuation with tea ware and their leisurely hobbies, which gave rise to the adage "Those who love something deeply often hate it fiercely."

China's stable society and expanding economy have led to an increasing number of individuals adopting tea culture in recent years. From basic bowls used to feed chickens, Jian Zhan has become a new favorite among collectors due to the growth of the antique market. On the Wang Gang-hosted program "Collecting the World," Jian Zhan was highly valued by specialists. The workmanship of Jian Zhan is now regarded as intangible cultural heritage, and customers embrace new Jian Zhan products. Tea enthusiasts around the world would surely experience a spiritual and sensory delight if we were to bring back the methods used to prepare tea during the Song Dynasty and spread awareness of them.

9. The Enchanting Advantages of Having Tea with Jian Zhan

Jian Zhan and the Advantages for Health

The chemical ingredients in Jian Zhan's glaze, including calcium oxide (CaO), iron oxide (Fe2O3), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and silica (SiO2), have health-promoting properties. Jian Zhan's high iron content makes it easier for the human body to absorb since it continuously releases divalent iron ions and absorbs chloride ions from the water while being used. This prevents anemia and hypertension by improving hemoglobin and red blood cell activity. It also has a calming effect and aids in central nervous system regulation. In order to achieve a sterilizing effect, Jian Zhan also helps to balance the endocrine system, absorb bacteria, and suppress the enzymatic activity necessary for bacteria to live.

Better Taste and Heat Retention

In addition to increasing the tea's alkaline content, drinking it from a Jian Zhan helps keep it warmer for longer. As a result, the tea becomes softer and sweeter, enhancing its aroma and guaranteeing a more pleasurable taste. A lot of tea enthusiasts also say that the flavor of other drinks, including wine, beer, water, coffee, etc., is smoother and better when Jian Zhan is used.

10. Learn These Three Easy Steps to Develop a Vibrant Jian Zhan

In reality, Jian Zhan is really easy to care for. These are the three main points:

Select a suitable bowl for the purpose of fostering.
Select a tea that is suitable for nurturing.
Use the appropriate nurturing technique.

Good bowls are easy to maintain, but not all Jian Zhans are ideal for nurturing.

Taking care of Jian Zhan is like taking care of a Yixing clay teapot. It's preferable to use different kinds of tea for multiple bowls or to cultivate one bowl with teas of similar hues. For instance, oolong tea will produce a vibrant glaze, while a few glasses of green tea may dull the glaze's color. Sheng Puer and Shu Puer are similarly affected. It is simply not appropriate to use the same bowl for tea that is substantially different in hue. Black tea, Wuyi Rock Tea, and Shu Puer, however, can all be used in the same bowl.

How to Select a Suitable Jian Zhan for Nurturing

Since balance has long been valued in Chinese culture, a Jian Zhan that is suited for rearing needs to have the ideal degree of vitrification. The cup will not acquire the desired iridescence and may eventually take on a rust or corrosion hue if the vitrification is too weak or if it is overfired (as seen in the picture). It is not advised to buy the cup, even if it is perfect.

Fundamentals of Jian Zhan

Strong vitrified Jian Zhans, including those with hare's hair designs or oil droplets, are easier to care for and will develop color more quickly. But there are some drawbacks:

Uneven rings may form from tea stains, as seen in the picture.
Since the glassy surface does not absorb the tea, the patina can be readily removed after it has developed iridescence.

Nonetheless, there are methods for cultivating Jian Zhan that have a high vitrification level:

Never let the tea soup sit in the cup for too long. If it lingers, it will form uneven tea rings on the surface.
Rinse the cup with fresh water after drinking, making sure all of the tea is gone. Avoid cleaning the cup.

Conversely, Hare's fur pattern cups are more difficult to maintain and may not exhibit any noticeable changes for over a year. As a result, while selecting a Jian Zhan, the glaze ought to be the primary factor. A good Jian Zhan should have visible crystals and an uneven texture that can be felt with the hand. It should also be adequately vitrified. If you use your phone to zoom in on the surface, you should be able to see crystals, which are not smooth.

Teas That Are Good for Developing Jian Zhan

Others assert that "Only Wuyi rock tea should be used, because Wuyi rock tea grows on rocks and contains rich minerals, which helps it interact better with the Jian Zhan." However, what percentage of Wuyi rock teas are grown on rocks? Actually, the majority are from clay-based fields rather than ones that are rich in minerals.

Wuyi rock tea's vivid hue and orange-red tea soup make it perfect for raising Jian Zhan. The iridescence is enhanced by the stable dark layer that the tea forms on the crystals due to its easy adhesion. Wuyi rock tea and black tea are the greatest for cultivating Jian Zhan because their tea soup has the ideal depth and harmony of color, while other teas such as ripe Pu-erh, Fu tea, black tea, or green tea can also be used. In particular, the ideal tea for producing that iridescent look is aged Wuyi rock tea or tea with a high roast and a deep wine-red color.

The Best Way to Raise a Jian Zhan

Similar to Yixing teapots, new Jian Zhan cups must be "opened up" initially. Simmer the cup in tea water at low heat, using ripe Pu-erh tea or Wuyi rock tea with an orange-red tea soup. You want to simmer for as long as possible. (An experiment by one of our clients revealed that the iridescence appeared instantly after drying after the cup was simmered in tea for two one-hour sessions.) Little bubbles will appear on the glaze's top as it simmers, symbolizing the tea's absorption, gas release, and elimination of any "iron taste."
How should I utilize it? After drinking the tea, pour it out, drink it again, rinse with fresh water, turn the cup upside down, and let it dry naturally. Don't wash the cup too often.

Just use the same technique of simmering the cup in hot tea water if another person needs to sterilize the cup. This keeps the cup clean and helps keep it in good condition.

The Jian Zhan Nurturing Process

There is a transitional phase in raising a Jian Zhan. The cup will initially seem golden before gradually changing into iridescent hues. The most important characteristic of a nurturing cup is that the gold hue develops rapidly, often in a single afternoon. Don't worry if you start to observe fading after only a few days of use; this is simply the transitional stage.

Important Notes!

It takes more than just soaking it in tea water to properly care for a Jian Zhan. It will never have the desired effect if you do that.

Admiring a Jian Zhan Who Has Been Completely Nurtured

Isn't it lovely? Playing with Jian Zhan is a cultural endeavor, an aesthetic delight, and an enjoyment. Every tea lover has a different way of raising Jian Zhan, and you might have a better one. Please share and educate yourself with Zeyuan Jian Zhan.

This article is published by GLETERY, a company specializing in the sale of Jian Zhan (Jian Ceramics). To learn more about Jian Zhan or to purchase high-quality Jian Zhan, please visit our website.（www.gletery.com）