Chinese tea bowls "Four Gentlemen Among The Flowers"

The set consists of six tea bowls with well-known flower motifs.

"Mei Lan Zhu Ju" refers to the four plants plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. They are often known among the Chinese as the "Four Gentlemen among Flowers". The character of Plum Blossom, Orchid, Bamboo and Chrysanthemum is proud, calm, firm and light. Characteristics such as independence, elegance, no bow to authority and lightness of taste are also part of this. The plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum have therefore been considered spiritual symbols of the Chinese since ancient times. They used them to reflect their feelings and ideals. These plants can be found in poems and literary paintings and across different dynasties in Chinese history.

Manufacturer: Manufacture Zizheng from Longquan/Zhejiang/China
Name: mei lan zhu ju
Colour: Jade green
Box: (LxWxH) 34 x 25,5 x 10,8 cm
Tea cup: Ø 8 cm, height 3 cm, weight 69 g

Special feature:

Celadon refers to so-called Chinese greenware, which has its origin in the Song Dynasty (960-1279). It is therefore the style that influenced tea culture even before the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). The colour of celadon is reminiscent of jade, which has always played a very important role in Chinese cultural history. The centre of celadon production then, as now, is Longquan in Zhejiang province. The Zizheng manufactory from Longquan is one of the best manufacturers of this type of ceramic here.

Celadon ceramics typically have a jade-green or bluish colour, in which patterns of fine fragments can appear in the slightly transparent glaze when exposed to light. Nevertheless, various colours are possible, ranging from yellow, blue, green to black. Celadon is a high temperature ceramic. A glaze containing iron oxide is applied to the ceramic and fired in an oxygen-reduced firing process at approx. 1300 degrees.