The Autumn Lyric: Butterfly & Chrysanthemum Wood-fired Teapot

Hand-painted Underglaze Blue | Mo She Wood-fired Kiln | 175ml

In the world of ZENTAOEAST, we look for objects that don’t just sit in silence, but whisper poetry. This 175ml Qinghua (Blue and White) teapot is a living tribute to the Ming and Song scholarly aesthetic. Born from the ancient pine fires of Jingdezhen, it captures the fleeting beauty of an autumn garden within the eternal embrace of porcelain.

The Mo She Ritual: 30 Hours of Pine and Soul

This vessel is a product of the Mo She Wood-fired Kiln (墨舍柴窑), a studio renowned for its uncompromising adherence to ancestral methods.

• The Fire: It was forged through a grueling 30-hour ritual, where kiln masters hand-tossed Masson Pine wood into the flames every few minutes. There are no digital sensors here—only the master’s instinct and the “Qi” of the kiln.

• The Resin Luster: During the peak of the firing, vaporized pine resin permeates the glaze. This creates the “Jade-like” texture you see in the photographs—a thick, warm, and slightly “greasy” luster that feels more like organic stone than glass.

A Scholarly Narrative in Cobalt

The hand-painted motif is a classic dialogue between movement and stillness.

• The Inscription: On its side, the teapot carries the poetic calligraphy “Qiū Jú Jiā Yùn” (秋菊佳韵), which translates to “The Exquisite Charm of Autumn Chrysanthemums.” It is a nod to the noble character of the scholar who remains resilient in the face of the coming winter.

• The Painting: The chrysanthemums are rendered with extraordinary precision, while the butterfly adds a touch of ethereal movement. Because of the wood-firing process, the blue cobalt exhibits a natural “Yūn Rǎn” (ink-wash diffusion) effect. The colors aren’t just on the surface; they appear to sink deep into the marrow of the porcelain, shifting in tone as the light changes.

The Architecture of the Pour

With a capacity of 175ml, the form is a graceful variation of the “Pear” silhouette—rounded, balanced, and comforting in the palm.

• The Detail: The spout and handle are “An” (Hidden) joins, creating a seamless flow from the body.

• The Seal: The base is hand-stamped with the hallmark of the kiln: “Mo She Chai Yao” (墨舍柴窑).

Curator’s Verdict

“When I saw the calligraphy ‘Autumn Grace’ on this pot, I knew it belonged in our collection. It represents the ‘True Heart’ of Jingdezhen—the stubborn refusal to use electric kilns because they lack the soul of the pine resin. The way the blue butterflies seem to flutter under the thick, moist glaze is mesmerizing. It is a ‘Lifelong Companion’ that will only grow more lustrous with every cup of The Sovereign Bloom you brew.”

— Richard Zhang, Founding Curator