It is said that Tenmoku tea bowls from the Jian kilns were used to evaluate
the quality of water during the "To-cha" (tea-fighting) ceremonies
popular at the time. While these vessels were originally intended to achieve
a jet-black finish, such as the "U-san" (black-glazed bowl),
various "Yo-hen" (kiln-transformed) effects emerged depending
on the conditions inside the kiln. Among these, this particular piece is
known in China as "Tu-hao-zhan" (Hare's Fur bowl) because the
flow of the glaze near the rim evokes the fine fur of a rabbit. |
