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Soak up China tea history 鈥╝t Zhejiang Museum
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The Zhejiang Museum is hosting a Tea World exhibition until April 6.
Held in partnership with the Palace Museum, it showcases 114 artifacts from the Song (960-1279) and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties. They include porcelains, lacquered vessels, ink-wash paintings, calligraphy, centuries-old tea leaves and ancient scripts.
The exhibition focuses on Emperor Huizong (1082-1135) of the Song Dynasty and Emperor Qianlong (1711-99) of the Qing Dynasty, demonstrating the tea culture passed down through the ages.
Emperor Huizong, a well-known painter in Chinese art history, was a strong advocate for calligraphy and painting. Despite his shortcomings as a monarch, he was well-known for his poetic, artistic and musical abilities.
Beijing鈥檚 Palace Museum lists some of his works as national treasures. The emperor was also a big benefactor of artists, reorganizing the Painting Academy during his reign.
People regard Song Dynasty鈥檚 ink-wash paintings as the pinnacle of ancient art and the distinctive element of traditional Chinese aesthetics, and Huizong鈥檚 works are the best among the Song paintings.
The painting on display depicts a butterfly soaring over a ripe loquat branch. Huizong utilized light ink to depict the animal鈥檚 attitude, posture and feathers. A single stroke produced astonishing tonal variations, spanning from deep black to silvery gray, showcasing the painter鈥檚 profound mastery of balancing ink concentration with water content.
When discussing Song Dynasty鈥檚 tea culture, it is impossible to overlook the other three activities: painting, playing the six-string zither and burning incense. At the time, the royal court prioritized the humanities, focusing on people鈥檚 inner emotions and employing a minimalist artistic style. Scholars lived artistic lifestyles and created general entertainment activities that complemented tea.
Imperial officials, townspeople and the royal family regularly consumed tea during the Song Dynasty. Unlike modern drinking habits, people during the Song Dynasty had finely powdered tea derived from processed green tea leaves.
The artifacts on display feature several classical Song Dynasty designs, primarily green and white pottery with muted colors and a serene simplicity. Due to their similar texture and finish, these vessels have been compared to jade. They blend the characteristics of celadon from southern China and white porcelain from northern China.
Jianzhan, also known as black-glazed bowl, was extensively utilized in tea rituals. As Japanese monks concluded their studies in China and returned to their homeland, they carried with them the black-glazed bowls. Today, Japan recognizes several Song Dynasty black-glazed tea bowls as its national treasures. The black glaze on display still shines after over a millennium. The tea bowl, with its tiny, hare鈥檚 fur-like patterns, is considered the finest version.
People of the Qing Dynasty preferred elaborate vessels over minimalist alternatives, as indicated by the exhibits displayed. A collection of Qing Dynasty cloisonn茅 enameled containers demonstrate the aesthetic values and expertise of the artists of the time.
Cloisonn茅 is a decorative enamelwork technique in which intricate designs formed with copper, silver or fine gold wires on metal vessels are either filled or painted with enamel before being burnt in a kiln. Craftspeople painstakingly create wire patterns using tweezers and custom-made pliers.
Since copper is inexpensive, lightweight, and easily hammered and stretched, it is considered the most suited material. A piece of cloisonn茅 takes hundreds of steps to complete, requiring a craftsman鈥檚 care and inventiveness. The royal family was the exclusive user of cloisonn茅 ceremonial vessels.
The blue-and-white porcelains were popular among people in the Qing Dynasty. A coat of glaze containing a blue color, typically cobalt oxide, embellished the white porcelain. The decoration is usually applied by hand or with stencils. The exhibition features pieces created during the reign of Emperor Qianlong.
Date: Through April 6 (closed on Mondays), 9am-5pm
Venue: Zhijiang Pavilion of Zhejiang Provincial Museum, Zhijiang Culture Center
Address: 300 Jianghan Rd
姹熸兜璺300鍙
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