Sun & Moon Harmony — Handcrafted Forbidden City red Porcelain Tea Cup Set

This is an artisanal porcelain tea cup — blending traditional Chinese symbolism with refined craftsmanship, perfect for festive gifting or personal tea rituals.

Inspired by the theme of “Sun and Moon in Harmony”, this cup set symbolizes unity, balance, and the shared brilliance of light and shadow. The vibrant “Forbidden City red” glaze honors five millennia of Chinese heritage, while the interior gold sun or silver moon design reflects serenity, cosmic wonder, and a wish for enduring togetherness.

Each cup is meticulously hand-shaped and finished with the silver-painting technique, creating a subtle shimmer reminiscent of the Milky Way. The fine porcelain body offers a smooth touch, while the contrasting celestial motif makes every sip a moment of reflection.

Includes: 1 × Tea Cup (Sun or Moon) / 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 (Sun or Moon) / or 2 × Tea Cups (Set)
• Dimensions: Tea Cup: 8.7 × 3.7 cm
• Capacity:Tea Cup: 65ml
  
• 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 poetic vision of the sun and moon shining together, these cups embody the Chinese cultural blessing of reunion, harmony, and shared brilliance. The design echoes five millennia of civilization, with imperial red glaze as the backdrop and the theme of “Sun and Moon in Unison” as a timeless wish for prosperity.
• The “Sun Cup” features an imperial red surface adorned with hand-painted gold, capturing the radiant glow of dawn. The “Moon Cup” is embellished with a silver-inlaid crescent, exuding quiet elegance under the night sky. The cup walls are finely textured, their mottled surface shimmering like a star-studded Milky Way, inviting boundless contemplation of the cosmos.
• Crafted entirely by hand, each piece blends ancient charm with artisanal precision. From the warm gleam of gold to the tranquil shine of silver, no two cups are exactly alike — each is a unique functional work of art infused with profound meaning and cultural depth.

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