About Us
Crafting Timeless Elegance: A Millennium of Jian Zhan Mastery
Thousand-Year Heritage
Building on the thousand-year heritage of Jian Zhan, our team is dedicated to preserving and advancing this ancient art form.
Handcrafted Excellence
With over 50 skilled artisans, each Jian Zhan piece is meticulously handcrafted, ensuring unparalleled quality and uniqueness in every creation.
Deep Cultural Roots
Our team embodies the essence of Chinese culture, with over 20 years of collective experience in promoting the cultural significance of Jian Zhan worldwide.
Worldwide Appreciation
Our Jian Zhan has reached over 30 countries, reflecting the global appreciation and demand for our exquisite, culturally rich products.
The process
- Clay selection. The glaze and clay of Jian Zhan need to have high iron content. Other kilns in Song Dynasty have tried to imitate Jian Zhan, but they usually cannot succeed for the minerals in their geographic location can hardly meet the standards of making a Jian Zhan.
- Crushing. To place the prepared clay and glaze in a machine for pulverization
- Washing and sieve. The thickness of the clay or glaze should be moderate. After sieved, the clay need to be put into the slurry tank, while the glaze need to placed in the glaze pool.
- Chen Fu, which is a ceramic terminology, refers to place the clay in a room away from sunlight and air, keep a certain temperature and humidity, and store it for a while.
- Knead the clay. This process is aimed to further remove the air and impurities in the clay, make the mud dense, uniform humidity, and facilitate forming, meanwhile, it also prevents the clay from drying and cracking during post-production.
- Shaping, usually divided into hand shaping and machine shaping.
- Modification. The traditional shape of Jian Zhan is mainly shallow circle foot, and the base part and the “inner ring ” of the foot need to be modified by knife.
- Kiln the unglazed Jian Zhan. This process can increase the mechanical strength of the clay, and also remove a part of the cracked and fragile Jian Zhan in advance.
- Blend glaze. The glaze formula of the ancient method is to use natural iron ore glaze and plant ash. These two simple substances can compose the beautiful glaze, which looks incredible, but the craft of making Jian Zhan is to use the simplest materials to creat the most mysterious crystals.
- Glazed. One of the big featured of Jian Zhan crafting is the half-glazed. Ancient people would specially design a glaze line to facilitate the control of the glaze range. Glazing also needs very skillful technique, ensure the glaze moderate. If thin, the room for the growth of crystal is too small to produce a delicate works; if too thick, the glaze may easy to stick to the bottom.
- Put into the kiln. There usually need to place a layer of alumina powder on the bottom to avoid stick.
- Kiln and fire the Jian Zhan. The kiln is the most important process of making Jian Zhan. If the time, degree and frequency of reduction are not well mastered, the desired glaze color will not be successfully created. After put into the kiln, the master must be concentrate on controlling the degree of reduction and not leave for a long time.
- Finishing kiln. After kiln, due to various restrictions on the making process, each kiln will inevitably produce defective products, which must be disposed of on site. Products that pass the quality inspection can be sold.
OUR TEAM
At Jian Zhan Treasures, our team is a dedicated group of artisans, historians, and tea enthusiasts united by a passion for the exquisite art of Jian Zhan. With a blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation, we work tirelessly to create and curate the finest Jian Zhan pieces.
Our artisans are rooted in the kilns of Jianyang, where generations of skill and knowledge have been passed down. Our historians bring a deep understanding of the cultural significance of Jian Zhan, ensuring that each piece reflects the rich heritage of Song Dynasty tea culture. Our tea sommeliers enhance the experience by showcasing how Jian Zhan elevates the art of tea drinking. Together, our team’s diverse expertise creates a holistic appreciation of Jian Zhan.
OUR PHILOSOPHY
At Jian Zhan Treasures, we believe that every Jian Zhan piece is not just a tea vessel but a work of art and a piece of history. Our philosophy is grounded in the following principles:
Preservation: We are committed to preserving the traditional techniques of Jian Zhan production, ensuring that this ancient art form continues to thrive.
Innovation: While honoring tradition, we embrace modern innovations to create new and exciting Jian Zhan designs that resonate with contemporary audiences.
Education: We aim to educate our customers about the rich history and cultural significance of Jian Zhan, fostering a deeper appreciation for this art form.
Sustainability: We prioritize sustainable practices in our production process, from sourcing materials to minimizing our environmental impact.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to bring the beauty and tradition of Jian Zhan to tea lovers and art collectors around the world. We strive to create a community where the appreciation of Jian Zhan fosters a deeper connection to the art of tea and the rich cultural heritage of the Song Dynasty.
JOIN US
Whether you’re a seasoned tea enthusiast, an art collector, or simply someone who appreciates beauty and craftsmanship, we invite you to explore our collection and join us on this journey. Together, let’s celebrate the timeless elegance of Jian Zhan.