Cranes in Flight Suet Jade Porcelain Teacup
180 mL
A large personal teacup in suet jade porcelain, richly detailed with symbolic images of elegant cranes among pine trees and plum blossoms.
$50.00
9 in stock
The porcelain of this cup is known as “suet jade porcelain” or “mutton fat porcelain,” which is produced by the Dehua kilns of Fujian Province. This distinctive style of richly smooth and pure warm white porcelain dates back to the Ming Dynasty. Suet jade porcelain is distinct from both the northern white porcelain kilns in the Tang and Song Dynasties, and also from Jingdezhen Qingbai porcelain.
Suet jade porcelain has a richness to its color that conveys warmth with its light cream tint. It uses a special glaze recipe that is fired at a very high temperature in the kiln. The result is an unusual shade of white that is soft instead of stark and a finish that is incredibly smooth and buttery-soft to the touch.
This cup is larger than ordinary Chinese tea tasting cups, in a style known as “personal cup” — a cup with an ample capacity befitting long and contemplative tea drinking by oneself.
The painting on its outer walls is a traditional motif known as song he yan nian (松鹤延年) — a symbolic setting of cranes among pine and other trees. Both pine and plum trees and the crane are classical symbols of fortitude, wisdom and longevity.
- Origin: Dehua Kiln (德化窯), Fujian Province
- Material: Glazed porcelain
- Capacity: 180mL
