What is Jian Zhan? What is its origin?

Jian Zhan is well-known among tea lovers.

Jian Zhan is a prime example of black-glazed ceramics, which were first produced in the late Tang and early Five Dynasties periods. They peaked during the Song Dynasty, particularly under Emperor Huizong of Song's rule.

Jian Zhan alludes to Jianzhou's tea cup, as the name implies.

Jian refers to Jianzhou, a historic cultural city in Fujian Province that has been around for more than 3,000 years and has been a county for more than 1800 years. The area was formerly known as Jianzhou, and during the Tang Dynasty, it was the first state of Fujian. This area, which is now called Jian'ou, is located in northern Fujian, northwest of the Jiaofeng Mountain Range, southeast of the Wuyi Mountains, and along the upper reaches of the Min River. 37,356.98 square kilometers make up its entire area.

zhan (cup) describes a container for liquid that is usually composed of metal, wood, bamboo, or ceramics. Lanterns, oil lamps, and tea cups are typical examples.

The pinnacle of black-glazed ceramics, Jian Zhan was first produced in the late Tang and early Five Dynasties and peaked during the Song Dynasty, especially under Emperor Huizong of Song.

Why did this tiny tea cup with a black gloss, which was largely unknown during the Tang Dynasty, become the most prestigious tea vessel during the Song Dynasty so quickly? We must take into account the prevailing social tendencies in order to comprehend this.

Tang Dynasty

With Chang'an as its capital and Luoyang as its secondary city, the Tang Dynasty is commonly regarded as the apex of old feudal society. For more than 500 years, Luoyang, which is situated in the central plains, has served as a hub for politics, the economy, and culture under the Eastern Han, Wei, Jin, and Northern Dynasties.

With famous kilns like Yue, Xing, and Xikou (Eastern kiln), Henan was a significant manufacturer of white porcelain throughout the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Sancai, or tri-colored glazed porcelain, are the most well-known ceramics from the Tang period and are still in high demand today.

Earthy yellow hues with white or greenish glazes predominated in the manufacturing of Sancai (tri-colored glazed ceramics) during the early Tang period. With exquisite designs, vivid colors, and intricate glazing techniques like stamping, carving, and modeling, Tang Sancai production advanced dramatically throughout the thriving Tang period. Tang Sancai, which displays sophisticated understanding of the chemical characteristics of several metallic raw elements, is a milestone in ceramic workmanship.

Song Dynasty

Literature and the arts were prioritized over military matters during the Song Dynasty, which was a time of cultural refinement. The Song Dynasty's rulers sought stability following the chaotic Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, and the scholar-official elite gained prominence.

During this period, cultural customs including painting, incense burning, flower arrangement, and tea drinking became integral components of the "Four Arts of Life." These activities made it possible for people to transform everyday sensory experiences into works of art, which was essential to the literati's affluent way of life.

The Song Dynasty's aesthetics were marked by restraint and subtlety, in contrast to the Tang Dynasty's brash, outer ethos. Women of the Song era were more subdued, and their poetry was more reflective, than the vibrant and regal art of the Tang Dynasty. Painting and sculpture were examples of art that featured more delicate, smaller forms. As seen by their fondness for chrysanthemums, orchids, bamboo, and plum blossoms, the Song people preferred understated elegance.

Because of this trend toward understated beauty, Jian Zhan's straightforward yet opulent black glaze was the ideal complement to the era's tastes. Jian Zhan's single-colored glazes and its delicate yet vibrant nature won it significant acclaim.

The broad popularity of this tea ware was largely attributed to Emperor Huizong's personal preference for Jian Zhan as well as the emergence of tea-drinking culture. Huizong commended Jian Zhan in his book Da Guan Tea Theory, writing: "The best cups show clear, straight ‘jade-like’ streaks, and the color of the cup should be dark and lustrous." Jian Zhan's status as the Song Dynasty's top tea vessel was essentially cemented by the emperor's support for it.

These principles were personified by Jian Zhan, who achieved the optimal balance between functionality and beauty by conveying simplicity, naturalness, restraint, elegance, and transcendence. It established a high bar for Chinese ceramic arts and came to represent both beauty and utility.

At this point, if you're curious about why Jian Zhan is so popular and expensive, you can read the article: "What is Jian Zhan, and why is it so popular and expensive?". This post explores why Jian Zhan has become so highly valued in modern times. After learning about its origins, history, and cultural significance in your article, this will help readers understand the practical reasons for its value today.

Yuan Dynasty

Tea drinking habits started to shift after the Song Dynasty was overrun by the Mongols and the Yuan Dynasty was established in 1271. The use of Jian Zhan progressively lost favor as the tea-brewing technique changed from whisking to steeping by the Ming Dynasty. The popularity of Jian Zhan vanished for almost 600 years as Jian Kiln's production of black-glazed ceramics stopped.

Modern Times

The Jian Zhan kiln sites were excavated in September 1979 with the cooperation of the Jianyang Ceramic Factory, the Central Academy of Craft Art, and the Fujian Science and Technology Committee. The production of Jian Zhan in dragon kilns was verified by this study. After a 600-year break, the kiln fire was revived that same year when the Chinese Ministry of Light Industry called for the restoration of Jian Zhan craftsmanship.

Jian Zhan's comeback accompanied China's economic growth, the rise of tea consumption, and a renaissance of interest in traditional Chinese arts. Once forgotten, Jian Zhan is today a treasured cultural figure.