Little bud cup, jade

These bell-shaped cups make that precise moment of a sip or a sniff a joy. Standing lightly on its foot, the slightly elongated form spools open at the mouth, exposing its mysterious bluish white enclosure that captures the enticing aromas of tea within it. If doubled as an aroma cup (say, along with a twin in pink to drink from), one certainly will not mind the extra clutter on the tasting table. Pair solely with a matching Gaiwan to guard a more minimalist set up or gather a jumble of these cups in pink and jade for a garden scene of sprouting buds and blossoms.

About the artist

Li Siqi is an emerging Jingdezhen potter. After graduating from the Fine Arts Department of Jiangxi Normal University, she spent half a year practicing ceramics at kilns in the southwest of China with a focus on sculpture and pottery. She fell in love with celadon and the Hutian kiln* (湖田窑), a famous kiln of the Song Dynasty, and has devoted herself to exploring the history of the craft.
In 2018, she established Qiwei (lit. ‘seven flavors’) Ceramics Studio in Jingdezhen, the capital of porcelain. It continues to inherit from the classic kilns, combining Song Dynasty gracefulness (Song Yun (宋韵), lit. ‘Song rhyme’) with modern lifestyles to create teaware with a historical touch for elegant yet practical chaxi.

*Hutian kiln is located is located in the Hutian Village, a suburb of Jingdezhen. The Hutian porcelain wares of the Song Dynasty (960-1279) were mainly decorated with fine patterns and made into beautiful shapes.