Auspicious Clouds – Handcrafted Forbidden City red Porcelain Tea Cup

This is an artisanal porcelain tea cup — blending auspicious Chinese cloud symbolism with refined Jingdezhen craftsmanship, perfect for festive gifting or personal tea enjoyment.

Inspired by the imagery of Auspicious Clouds — believed in Chinese tradition to be the colorful clouds ridden by celestial beings — this cup symbolizes good fortune, joy, celebration, and heartfelt wishes for a beautiful life. The intricate cloud motif is gracefully sculpted, its flowing curves embodying elegance and cultural depth.

Each cup is hand-shaped and finished with the silver-painting technique, adding a delicate shimmer over the textured “Forbidden City Red” glaze. The combination of mottled patina, smooth porcelain body, and cloud relief design creates a sense of movement and refined artistry.

Includes: 1 × Tea Cup or 2 × Tea Cups (Set)

Artisan Heritage

• Made in: Jingdezhen, China — celebrated as the “Porcelain Capital” for over a millennium. Nestled in the hills of Jiangxi Province, Jingdezhen has been the beating heart of Chinese ceramics since the Song dynasty. Once home to imperial kilns producing wares exclusively for the royal court, its legacy lives on through generations of master artisans. Every piece from this region carries echoes of dynastic elegance, time-honored technique, and cultural refinement.
• Crafted by: Master artisans who inherit generations of traditional ceramic craftsmanship, shaping each piece entirely by hand using slow wheel-throwing and brush-glazing techniques
• Firing process: Kiln-fired at 1325°C for a full 24 hours, undergoing a rigorous 72-step journey from clay to porcelain — each stage enhancing its strength, resilience, and delicate tactility
• Legacy: Jingdezhen porcelain has graced royal courts, Silk Road caravans, and collectors' shelves around the world. Today, its legacy lives on through a quiet elegance that blends timeless form with contemporary soul

Product Details

• Set Includes: 1 × Tea Cup or 2 × Tea Cups (Set)
• Dimensions: Tea Cup: 8.9 × 4.1 cm
• Capacity:Tea Cup: 70ml
  
• Material: High-fired porcelain with hand-brushed white slip coating (fen-yin technique). Matte finish with natural surface variation and exposed clay texture.
• Finish: High-quality glaze with subtle brushstroke texture, creating a refined visual depth. Each piece is handcrafted, with natural variations in tone and pattern that make it uniquely its own.

Meaning & Symbolism

• Fen-yin (white slipware) is a traditional ceramic technique where a layer of white slip — a liquid clay — is brushed over a darker clay body. Instead of smoothing or covering completely, the artist leaves the surface intentionally uneven, allowing the underlying material to show through. This creates a unique texture and depth, often called a “white blush” or “ceramic makeup.” Each piece reveals hand-brushed marks, thickness variations, and natural imperfections — a celebration of imperfection and individuality in handmade porcelain.
• Drawing inspiration from the auspicious “Auspicious Clouds” motif in traditional Chinese culture — believed to be the celestial clouds ridden by deities — these cups embody blessings of joy, celebration, peace, and abundance. The intricate silver-painted cloud, floating against the deep “Forbidden City Red” glaze, symbolizes lofty aspirations and the beauty of life’s journey.
• The cloud design is delicately embossed and silver-painted by hand, its flowing, graceful form catching light with a gentle shimmer. This textured artistry not only conveys the elegance of ancient symbolism but also offers a tactile experience, making every tea moment a ritual of aesthetic pleasure.
• Each cup is meticulously hand-shaped and finished, ensuring no two are exactly alike — every piece is a unique work of art infused with cultural depth and refined craftsmanship.

Craft Story: Jingdezhen

• Historical Significance: Nestled in the misty mountains of Jiangxi Province, Jingdezhen has been crafting porcelain for over 1,700 years. The city’s kilns once produced imperial ware for Tang and Song courts, setting technical and aesthetic benchmarks that shaped East Asian ceramics for centuries.
• Ceramic Innovation: Beyond its legacy, Jingdezhen is a crucible of innovation — where traditional hand-throwing and glazing coexist with contemporary experimentation. Studios in the region continue to develop unique clay bodies, custom glazes, and sculptural techniques passed down through apprenticeships and artist guilds.
• Cultural Impact: From monochrome wares to celadon and blue-and-white porcelain, Jingdezhen’s artistic output has long been a cultural ambassador of Chinese craftsmanship. Its ceramics have crossed oceans, appearing in museum collections and collector circles from Kyoto to Amsterdam.
• Modern Renaissance: Today’s Jingdezhen is a vibrant creative hub — home to thousands of independent ceramic artists, design studios, and cross-disciplinary collaborations. The city bridges past and present, producing work that is both deeply rooted and globally relevant.
  

Care Instructions

• Dishwasher safe — suitable for everyday machine washing
• Microwave safe — porcelain is heat-resistant and beverage-safe

• Also easy to hand wash — gentle cleaning preserves the artisan texture and glaze