Jingdezhen Hand-Painted "Eastern Storks" Qinghua Gaiwan

Jingdezhen "Eastern Storks" Qinghua Gaiwans (Approx. 80 ml)
Dimensions: 3.5" wide x 3" tall

By the same artist as the Jingdezhen "Cerulean Tales" Qinghua Gaiwan, The Eastern Storks Qinghua Gaiwan continues the artist’s exploration of cobalt blue underglaze through a gentler, more ethereal lens. Hand-crafted and hand-painted in Jingdezhen, this piece brings together the long tradition of qinghua painting with a lighter, more serene stoneware body, creating a gaiwan that feels calm, poetic, and quietly expressive.

Unlike darker stoneware forms, this gaiwan is made from white stoneware, allowing the cobalt blue to appear softer and more atmospheric. The glaze finishes with a matte, satin-like surface, giving the piece a velvety touch and a subdued glow rather than a high shine. In the hand, it feels smooth, warm, and composed—inviting slower, more attentive brewing.

Across the surface, storks and flowing lotus blossoms drift in a dreamlike arrangement. The brushwork is free and storybook in spirit, allowing the imagery to feel alive rather than fixed. In Chinese culture, storks are deeply auspicious, symbolizing longevity, wisdom, and peace. The lotus, rising clean and unblemished from water, represents purity, integrity, and spiritual enlightenment. Together, these motifs lend the gaiwan a quiet sense of harmony and contemplation, turning each tea session into a small moment of reflection.

As with all of the artist’s qinghua work, each gaiwan is entirely hand-painted. Subtle variations in brushstroke, composition, and blue intensity mean that no two pieces are ever exactly alike. Even when the imagery is similar, each gaiwan carries its own rhythm and personality, making every piece truly one of a kind.

Rooted in tradition yet expressed with softness and imagination, the Eastern Storks Qinghua Gaiwan balances symbolism, craftsmanship, and tactile beauty.