The Ultimate Guide To The Shape Of Jianzhan

1. Characteristics of the shape of Jianzhan Tenmoku Tea Cup

The commonality of the design of Jianzhan is that it has a large bowl rim, a small circular foot, a funnel-shaped shape, a thinner cup edge, and a heavy bottom. Its center of gravity is low, stable and easy to use.

2. Four typical shapes of Jianzhan Tenmoku cup

There are four types of shapes of Jianzhan, each with distinctive features, namely 束口(Shu Kou), 敛口(Lian Kou), 撇口(Pie Kou), 敞口(Chang Kou). The following image will show the differences between these four types of shapes.

1) The shape of 束口(Shu Kou)

The Shu Kou cup is the most mainstream type of cup, and the most intuitive way to figure it out is that there is an inward concave groove about 1cm below the rim of the Shu Kou cup.

Its function is to control the amount of tea during the Dou Cha ceremony to avoid the tea overflow. This groove is commonly known as the “scale line.”

The four pieces of the Yohen Tenmoku cup that have been passed down are all Shu Kou cups. From the pictures, we can see that there is a groove at the edge of the cup.

2) The shape of 敛口(Lian Kou)

The characteristic of the Lian Kou cup is that the cup rim is slightly curved inward, and the overall shape is plump. The general shape of the Lian Kou cup is similar to that of the Shu Kou cup but is easy to distinguish.

The Lian Kou cup does not have a groove below the rim of the cup; when it reaches the position of the top, it starts to bend slightly inward.

3) The shape of 撇口(Pie Kou)

The shape of the Pie Kou cup is closer to a funnel (or inverted trapezoid). Its cup rim is curved outward, and the bottom of the cup is small. The cup is more ornamental.

4) The shape of 敞口(Chang Kou)

The shape of the Chang Kou cup is similar to that of the Pie Kou cup. The difference is that the line at the cup’s rim is straight and does not bend inward or outward. It is also known as a bamboo hat cup because its shape resembles a bamboo hat.

5) Other modern shapes - shown in the photo below

3. The Beauty of Jianzhan's Shape

When it comes to the beauty of Jianzhan, the first thing people think of is its stunning patterns. The unique glaze color of Jianzhan is undoubtedly essential; while its shape is often overlooked, it is a vital aspect of the beauty of Jianzhan. If the glaze color is brilliant, but the shape is terrible, It’s not a successful product either.

4. Why Jianzhan was designed in this shape

The bottom of the Jianzhan cup is small, and the cup rim is large, like a funnel. The larger cup is like a bowl. Its cup rim is slightly curved inward and does not easily spill outside when you stir the tea soup.

The narrow bottom and wide rim of the shape are suitable for stirring tea and are also suitable for holding. The cup body is thick at the bottom and thin at the top, so the center of gravity is low, making it more stable. This shape is also conducive to giving off the tea’s aroma and facilitates the stirring of the tea.