Tea Cup “Qing Hua Ci” (Blue and White Porcelain) Twining Lotus Pattern

Description

(1) Tea Cup Variation: 2

No.1 :  Diameter 7.2cm * Height 3.3cm, Capacity 65ml

No.2 : Diameter 6.5cm * Height 3.3cm, Capacity 60ml

(2) GaiWan

Size: Diameter 9.6cm* Height 8cm

Capacity: 150ml

This image features an exquisite tea cup made from “Qing Hua Ci” (Blue and White Porcelain), which is a time-honored porcelain style that originated in China and is valued for its delicate yet vibrant blue patterns on a white background. The cup is adorned with a twining lotus pattern, a design that carries profound symbolic meaning in East Asian cultures, often associated with purity, enlightenment, and rebirth due to the lotus flower’s growth from murky waters into a beautiful bloom.

The firing temperature for such porcelain is typically around 1300℃, a high firing process that ensures the durability of the cup and the permanence of its hand-painted decorations. The high heat works to vitrify the porcelain, making it non-porous and giving it a glass-like and resonant quality.

The craftsmanship required to produce “Qing Hua Ci” involves precise painting with a cobalt oxide underglaze, followed by glazing and a single firing in a kiln, which reveals the signature blue hue upon completion. The tea cup showcased here reflects this intricate process and stands as a testament to the rich ceramic legacy of Jingdezhen, a renowned production center for this type of porcelain.

This tea cup would be a prized possession for collectors and tea enthusiasts alike, offering a touch of elegance and tradition to the tea-drinking experience.