This conical tea bowl was decorated with 'paper-cut' resist glaze decoration. Cut paper was placed on the unfired glazed surface of the bowl and ash glaze was splashed over the pattern. A floral motif or auspicious character was left in the glaze afer the paper is burnt away during firing. The exterior is decorated with "tortoise-shell" glaze decoration. This glaze was produced by splashing a mix of wood or bamboo ash and slip (liquid clay) onto the vessel after it has been dipped in the dark iron-brown glaze.Tea bowls such as these were admired by scholars for their rustic appeal. The dark colour of the bowl complimented the white foam that resulted from using whisked powdered tea during this period.
