Fenghuang Cup

This cup is part of a new line of teaware from Liu Shisan, a pottery artist in Jingdezhen known for his creativity and expressive style. This style is also at work here—he took inspiration from ceramics that were popular during the Song dynasty and added modern elements to them to produce teaware that is striking, both in terms of shape and the motives that are drawn on it.

Like other items in this collection, this teacup is adorned with the Fenghuang motif, with both the phoenix and the clouds being drawn with the classic blue paint used for Qinghua porcelain. It comes in a classic, tall and round shape that makes for comfortable drinking at a size that will hold an entire steeping of gongfu tea. Let this cup sit with you while the tea cools down and admire not just the intricate drawings on top of its warm and inviting color, but also each small speck in its glaze. Before you notice how much time has passed, your tea will be ready to drink while many details on its surface remain to be explored.

The Monk cup, along with the Blue Rainbow gaiwan, Dragon Son gaiwan and pitcher, and Fenghuang plate round out this collection to provide you with a full tea set’s worth of Liu Shisan’s artistry.

Please note that all items in this collection are fully handmade, so there will be some variation with regards to size, shape, and glazing.

Written by Sigi

About the Artist

We've already featured the work of Liu Shisan, whose rough, expressive work we discovered and admired on a teaware-sourcing trip to 'the Porcelain Capital' of Jingdezhen. He forms his pieces by hand, on the wheel, but it's the tweaks, pinches, and strokes that give his pieces a larger-than-life character; his pitchers are particularly unique. We paid him another visit in 2024 and got a tour of his studio: