Ashlight at Dusk – 50 ml Dai cup
This rounded teacup by Master Yiwen rests on a small footed base, its body expanding gently into a wide, open mouth that feels smooth and balanced in the hand, perfect for sipping tea. The exterior features a geometric decorative pattern, hand-carved before firing, now softened and elevated by the layers of ash glaze.
Fired in a traditional dragon kiln, the cup developed a warm, bronze base tone enriched by Luòhuī Yòu (落灰釉), or natural wood ash glaze. As the flames danced, they left behind unpredictable blushes of red, bronze, and earthy hues, where the fire kissed the clay, it left its mark.
The slightly rough surface and natural, uneven glaze give this piece a distinct presence. Two cups exist in this series. While similar in form and tonality, each is unique, shaped by hand, fire, and the rhythm of the kiln.
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DAI-MINORITY TRADITIONAL TEAWARE
依温 Yiwen Laoshi's work
When we visited Yiwen’s studio, the dragon kiln was alive, flames breathing steadily, a mattress laid nearby where a student kept vigil through day and night, tending the fire. Nearby, apprentices carved delicate lines into drying clay, while Yiwen, calm and focused, brewed tea. The air carried the scent of earth and smoke, and everything moved with quiet intention.
Yiwen, a Dai woman born in Xishuangbanna, began working with clay at the age of ten. Direct and determined, she has spent decades refining her craft with unwavering focus. As a recognised inheritor of the Dai slow-wheel pottery technique, she stays rooted in tradition while pushing its boundaries, reviving ancient methods through high-temperature wood-firing.
Using clay dug from the mountains of Yunnan, her works follow over ten traditional steps, from natural fermentation to shaping by hand, and finally, a seven-day wood firing without glazes or additives.
Sometimes ash falls just right, forming a natural glaze; other times, it does not. Her pieces are steady, minimal, and resilient, each one a quiet dialogue between earth and flame.
