Teapot in "fa-lang-tsai" enamels with decoration of
blue landscapes
Yung-cheng reign (1723-1735), Ching Dynasty

Tea bowl in underglaze blue with the imperial poem "San-ching"
Chien-lung reign (1736-1795), Ching Dynasty

Empty Vessels, Replenished Minds:
The Culture, Practice and Art of Tea
Galleries 211, 213
7/1/2001 - 9/20/2001
The Chinese Art of Tea in Painting and Calligraphy
Gallery 210
7/1/2002 - 9/25/2002

The wares and utensils associated with tea have changed along with the nature and art of tea itself--from the tea brewed from finely pulverized tea leaves in the T'ang (618-907) and Sung (960-1279) dynasties to the roasted and slowly steeped varieties appreciated in the Ming (1368-1644) and Ch'ing (1644-1911).

In "Classic of Tea", the T'ang dynasty tea lover Lu Yu describes the set of utensils for boiling and drinking powdered tea, thereby establishing the precedent for the importance of the wares and utensils used in tea ceremonies. Descriptions of ice-like Yueh ware celadon tea bowls and snow-white Hsing ware porcelain tea bowls in the "Classic of Tea" reveal the level of aesthetic appreciation that existed for tea wares even at this time.

The Sung dynasty was the golden age of powdered tea. The unique whisking method of preparation along with refined tea competitions brought the art of tea to its pinnacle of refinement. The lines of poetry "Clouds swirling on the surface of partridge-feather bowls, snowy depths at the bottom of hare's-fur bowls" shows that, in addition to celadon and white wares, black-glazed bowls with partridge feather, hare's fur, oil spot and applique decoration became prized wares in tea competitions. Tea bowls and bowl stands were paired as sets and ceramic and lacquer bowl stands in various glazes became common.

In 1391, the founder of the Ming dynasty, the Hung-wu emperor, decreed that tributes of compressed tea cakes were to be replaced by loose-leaf tea. This meant steeping became the main method for preparing tea. Tea pots for steeping and bowls and cups for drinking were the most important tea wares in the Ming and Ch'ing dynasties. Tea caddies also became an essential item as they helped maintain the fragrance and flavor of the tea.

The Museum's collection of Ming and Ch'ing tea ware is mainly imperial. These various types of teapots, bowls, cups and caddies are recorded in official documents and can also be compared with examples described in painting and other texts. The enameled tea wares of the K'ang-hsi (1662-1722), Yung-cheng (1723-1735) and Ch'ien-lung (1736-1795) reigns, produced at Ching-te-chen and in the court workshops, are particularly prized because only one pair was made for each design.

When speaking of tea, Chinese often use a palindrome that translates as "it can also purify the mind" to cite the wondrous effects of this drink. This special exhibit of wares, painting and calligraphy, and books associated with tea presents China's distinctive tea culture and no doubt will "purify the minds" of viewers alike.