This massive Jian Zhan tea bowl was hand-thrown and hand-fired by Master Lin Xi, and specifically designed with its high-sloping sides and flared lip for Dian Cha ceremony, whisking matcha while slowly adding water to form a high foam accentuated by the deep green Jian Zhan Dragon Kiln wood-firing. Indeed, the earliest Jian Zhan tea bowls were for appreciating whisked tea. The large size is also perfect for adding tea leaves and water and sipping right out of the bowl, topping it off throughout the day while watching the leaves unfurl. This hand-made cup was fired in a traditional Dragon Kiln (Lao Long Yao) in Shui Ji, the home of the Song Dynasty Jian Zhan tradition. Only one out of every ten "cai shao" wood fired Dragon Kiln cups typically survives the firing process and each piece is a unique fortuitous chance occurrence. The heat, geometry and placement in the kiln and the specific wood used in firing yielded this spectacular pattern. This bowl was made with the same Shui Ji clay and natural mineral glazing used by Song Dynasty potters for a highly traditional You Di or oil spot effect. This bowl is impressed with Master Lin Xi’s seal on the foot and comes in a gift box with Lin Xi’s signed collectors certificate.