Whispers in Clay – 40 ml Dai Cup
This tall, slender cup by Master Yiwen is made from Yunnan mountain clay, shaped into a long cylindrical body that tapers gently toward the base. Its forms and subtly uneven surface remains lightly marked by the hand that shaped it, each curve a trace of movement on the wheel.
Fired in a traditional wood kiln, the piece carries the story of flame and ash. Natural deposits from burning wood melted into the surface, creating a mottled glaze of silvery greys, soft golds, bronze and warm yellow streaks. These tones were not painted or planned, they formed freely, shaped by air currents, kiln atmosphere, and the clay’s own character.
The result is a unique collaboration between fire and earth. Each mark and hue is unrepeatable, making this cup not just handmade, but a natural artefact of the kiln, earned through patience, chance, and tradition.
Three cups exist in this series. While similar in form, tonality, and capacity, each bears its own unique shadow, shaped by hand, fire, and the quiet rhythm of the kiln.
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Size: W x H
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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.
