Lunar Luster
About the Artwork
The "Lunar Luster" series draws inspiration from the tea ceremony of the Song Dynasty. This set of four bronze teacups coated with tin not only showcases Fanson’s masterful skills as a sculptor, but also conveys a yearning for the refined spirit of the literati, embodied in the phrase "to cultivate a tranquil mind and pursue a far-reaching vision."
Tinware, with its excellent heat conductivity, perfectly preserves the temperature and rich flavor of the tea. This set of teacups, themed "Water and Moon," is a testament to Fanson’s meticulous craftsmanship. Each cup is intricately carved with delicate moon crater patterns. The texture of the cups evokes the captivating surface of the moon, while the interplay of light and shadow created by the carvings adds depth and dimension to each piece, transforming them into tranquil moonlit landscapes.
Story of Tea Appreciation in Song Dynasty
| The Serenity of a Tea Interlude |
The literati and common folk alike embraced the refined pleasure of tea drinking and appreciation in the Song Dynasty. Hosting tea gatherings for the purpose of savoring fine tea became a prominent social trend of the era.
The Song people were particularly meticulous in their tea brewing techniques, and the method of Tea Whisking (Dian Cha) reached its pinnacle during this period. Dian Cha is a type of tea brewing technique that requires the tea master to first grind the tea cake into a fine powder. Then, the tea master carefully pours hot water onto the tea powder and quickly and thoroughly stirs the mixture. This process of pouring water and stirring is repeated multiple times until a foamy, blended tea is formed.
As tea culture evolved, it became increasingly diverse, leading to the development of "tea competitions" (Dou Cha), where tea leaves and the tea masters' brewing skills were judged according to a strict set of standards. The Song people were also particularly fond of "Theater of Tea," (Cha Bai Xi), a form of tea art where water is poured onto the tea foam or tools are used to create unique drawings on the foam.
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