A Chawan is the Japanese name for a tea bowl typically made of stoneware. Its shape could be shallow and wide, or high. The wide ones are for summer use to make the tea cool faster, while the higher ones are for winter use to help the tea stay warm longer. Irregularities and imperfections are prized in glaze or shape and are often featured prominently as the "front" of the bowl, and used as a symbol of traditional modesty in values. Repairs made of lacquer dusted with gold powder is often referred to as Kintsugi or "joint with gold". Famous bowls are frequently named by their creators, owners, or by a tea master.
For Chinese tea bowls, appreciated in Japan, see Temmoku (Jian Yao)
A
Back to Gotheborg.com Home Page