{"product_id":"jingdezhen-wood-fired-gongfu-teacup-shifting-light","title":"Jingdezhen Wood-Fired Gongfu Teacup | Shifting Light","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt takes remarkable skill to make a wood-fired cup this thin.\u003c\/strong\u003e The appeal of these Jingdezhen gongfu teacups is not only the beautiful variation in their glaze. Their fine walls and softly flared rims give them an unusually light, delicate feel compared with the thick, heavy wood-fired pieces Leo has often encountered. These three individual designs range from smoky charcoal and rose-cream to glowing amber and soft peach, each sized for small, repeated infusions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy Thin Wood-Fired Teacups Are So Hard to Make\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst, the cup has to be formed and dried without damage.\u003c\/strong\u003e Thin walls leave very little margin for error. If the clay dries unevenly, or one part is thicker than another, the delicate rim can distort and fine cracks can develop before the cup ever reaches the final firing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThen it has to survive a wood kiln.\u003c\/strong\u003e Unlike a tightly controlled electric firing, heat, flame, airflow and ash vary across a wood kiln. As the clay heats, shrinks and cools, an unevenly stressed cup may warp, crack or break. Some pieces cannot be sold because they do not survive the process or do not retain their intended shape. Achieving an even, thin wall and a well-balanced rim through this firing demands careful craftsmanship.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy that matters:\u003c\/strong\u003e the same wood firing that gives each cup its natural markings also makes a fine, lightweight form challenging to produce. The achievement is not only an attractive glaze, but a slender cup that emerges intact with its shape and balance preserved.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eChoose Your Cup\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTwilight Slate · 65 mL:\u003c\/strong\u003e Smoky charcoal meets pale cream and muted rose-brown on the outside, with dark speckling around the inner wall and a pale, delicately crackled center. Approximately 2.8 inches in diameter × 1.65 inches tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGolden Arc · 72 mL:\u003c\/strong\u003e A warm sweep of golden yellow, ochre, and peach with a dark curved marking across the exterior. The interior has soft amber tones. Approximately 2.75 inches in diameter × 1.75 inches tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePeach Dawn · 55 mL:\u003c\/strong\u003e Gentle peach, cream, and yellow tones surround a small earthy-brown accent, with a soft, speckled inner glaze. Approximately 2.68 inches in diameter × 1.65 inches tall.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDetails\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eOrigin:\u003c\/strong\u003e Jingdezhen, China\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFiring:\u003c\/strong\u003e Wood-fired\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eStyle:\u003c\/strong\u003e Flared-rim gongfu teacup\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCapacity:\u003c\/strong\u003e 55–72 mL, depending on the design\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat's included:\u003c\/strong\u003e One individual teacup in your selected variant\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeasurements are approximate. Each photographed variant has its own surface patterns. The three styles are choices, not a three-piece set.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ctable width=\"100%\" style=\"border: 1px solid #000; background-color: #dff0d8; border-collapse: separate;\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd style=\"padding: 18px 24px;\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLeo's Story: My Discovery in Jingdezhen\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring my travels, most of the wood-fired teaware I came across was heavy and thick. I love wood firing, but I have always wanted the character of the kiln in a cup that feels light and delicate in the hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen I visited Jingdezhen in 2025, I found the kind of cup I had been looking for. What amazed me was just how thin the walls were. A thin cup is much harder to bring through a wood firing without damage or losing its shape. So far, Jingdezhen is the only place in my own sourcing journeys where I have found wood-fired cups with this degree of finesse.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhat I like about this group is how much the appearance changes from cup to cup. Twilight Slate has dark smoky markings, Golden Arc brings out warm yellow and brown, and Peach Dawn is softer and lighter in color. I enjoy finding pieces with that kind of individual character.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: right; margin: 20px 0 4px;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eLeo Lukidi\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFounder, Tea \u0026amp; Whisk\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCare\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHand-wash gently with warm water and allow the cup to dry fully. Avoid dishwashers, microwaves, and sudden changes in temperature.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Tea and Whisk","offers":[{"title":"Twilight Slate · 65 mL","offer_id":68784769892595,"sku":null,"price":68.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Golden Arc · 72 mL","offer_id":68784769925363,"sku":null,"price":60.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Peach Dawn · 55 mL","offer_id":68784769958131,"sku":null,"price":54.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0268\/9486\/0322\/files\/jingdezhen-wood-fired-gongfu-teacup-shifting-light-9322286.jpg?v=1794226812","url":"https:\/\/teaandwhisk.com\/products\/jingdezhen-wood-fired-gongfu-teacup-shifting-light","provider":"Tea and Whisk","version":"1.0","type":"link"}